SUMMARY AS OF:
3/21/2002--Introduced.
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act Amendments of
2002 - Amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title
IV of the Social Security Act (SSA) to: (1) reauthorize State family assistance
grants and provide for their annual adjustment; (2) revise contingency fund
requirements; (3) provide for bonuses for States that reduce child poverty; (4)
repeal authority for Federal loans for State welfare programs; (5) replace the
caseload reduction credit with employment credit to reward States in which
families leave welfare for work; (5) increase guaranteed funding for child care;
(6) authorize States to establish a parents as scholars program; (7) modify
requirements with respect to vocational educational training and other
preemployment activities; (8) eliminate the separate work participation rate for
two parent families; (9) prohibit State imposition of stricter eligibility
criteria for two-parent families; (10) establish grants to States for programs
encouraging two-parent families and reducing teenage pregnancies; (11) require a
child well-being plan as part of the individual responsibility plan; (12)
exclude victims of domestic violence from the 20 percent limitation on hardship
exception; (13) provide for continuation of certain pre-TANF waivers for States
that elect to continue to operate under such a waiver; (14) authorize States to
cover legal immigrants under SSA title XIX (Medicaid) and title XXI (State
Children's Health Insurance) (SCHIP); (15) establish grants for second chance
homes; and (16) authorize transfer of TANF funds to carry out an access to jobs
or a reverse commute project.
Restores SCHIP funding for the social services block grant.
Directs the Secretaries of Health and Human Services and of Labor to award
grants for projects related to promoting business linkages and providing for
transitional jobs programs. Authorizes: (1) the Secretary to award grants to
improve the coordination of support programs for low-income families and
noncustodial parents; and (2) a State to use a family assistance grant for wage
subsidies or other benefits or services to a family with an individual
participating in certain work activities and meeting other specified
requirements.
Amends SSA title IV part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) to authorize
States to align foster care and adoption assistance eligibility with TANF
eligibility.
Amends the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of
1996 to exclude State TANF assistance from the five year waiting period for
legal immigrants.
Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid) to revise and extend the transitional medical
assistance (TMA) program.
Prohibits use of TANF funds to displace public employees.