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HARRY HUGHES, Governor 3491
49A.
(A) (1) IT SHALL BE THE POLICY OF THE STATE OF
MARYLAND TO INSTITUTE A SYSTEMATIC, LONG TERM PROGRAM AND
PROCEDURE FOR UPGRADING GRANTS FOR AID TO FAMILIES WITH
DEPENDENT CHILDREN SO THAT THESE GRANTS, TOGETHER WITH THE
CASH VALUE OF FOOD STAMPS FOR WHICH RECIPIENTS ARE ELIGIBLE,
IF ANY, SHALL EQUAL AN UPDATED STANDARD OF NEED, AS DEFINED
HEREIN.
(2) THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROCEDURE SHALL BE TO
ACHIEVE A PERCENTAGE OF NEED OF 100 PERCENT OF THE UPDATED
STANDARD OF NEED BY NOT LATER THAN FISCAL YEAR 1992.
(B) (1) BY FEBRUARY NOVEMBER 1 OF EACH YEAR, THE
SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES SHALL PREPARE
AND SUBMIT TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND AN UPDATED STANDARD OF NEED FOR MARYLAND WELFARE
GRANTS.
(2) THE STANDARD OF NEED FOR MARYLAND WELFARE
GRANTS SHALL:
(I) SET FORTH THE MINIMUM STANDARD AMOUNTS
REQUIRED FOR VARIOUS CATEGORIES OF AID;
(II) BE PREDICATED UPON AN ANALYSIS OF THE
RELEVANT COMPONENTS OF THE MOST RECENT INFORMATION AVAILABLE
FROM THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS CONSUMER PRICE INDEX, AS
APPLIED TO THE 1979 REPORT OF THE GOVERNOR'S COMMISSION ON
WELFARE GRANTS; AND
(III) BE APPLICABLE TO THE NEXT ENSUING
FISCAL YEAR AFTER SUBMISSION.
(C) THE DEPARTMENT OF FISCAL SERVICES ANNUALLY SHALL
REVIEW THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDED STANDARDS AND REPORT TO
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AS TO THEIR REASONABLENESS, BASIS IN
FACT, CONSISTENCY IN APPROACH AND SUCH OTHER MATTERS AS THE
DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT MAY DEEM APPROPRIATE.
(D) (1) THE GOVERNOR SHALL RECOMMEND A PROGRAM OF CASH
GRANT INCREASES WHICH MAY REASONABLY BE EXPECTED TO ACHIEVE
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM WITHIN THE TIME FRAME
ANTICIPATED.
(2) HOWEVER, FOR FISCAL YEAR 1983, AND FOR EACH
YEAR THEREAFTER, THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUDE IN THE BUDGET
BILL, SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY, SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO INCREASE
AID TO FAMILIES WITH DEPENDENT CHILDREN GRANT LEVELS BY NOT
LESS THAN 10 PERCENT OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR, UNLESS AND
UNTIL THE PERCENTAGE OF NEED MET BY THE STATE REACHES 100
PERCENT.
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