TITLE 42 - US CODE - SUBCHAPTER IV - GRANTS TO STATES FOR AID AND SERVICES TO NEEDY FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AND FOR CHILD-WELFARE SERVICES

Part A - Block Grants to States for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

42 USC 601 - Purpose

(a) In general
The purpose of this part is to increase the flexibility of States in operating a program designed to

(1) provide assistance to needy families so that children may be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives;

(2) end the dependence of needy parents on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage;

(3) prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies and establish annual numerical goals for preventing and reducing the incidence of these pregnancies; and

(4) encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.

(b) No individual entitlement
This part shall not be interpreted to entitle any individual or family to assistance under any State program funded under this part.

42 USC 602 - Eligible States; State plan

(a) In general
As used in this part, the term eligible State means, with respect to a fiscal year, a State that, during the 27-month period ending with the close of the 1st quarter of the fiscal year, has submitted to the Secretary a plan that the Secretary has found includes the following:

(1) Outline of family assistance program

(A) General provisions
A written document that outlines how the State intends to do the following:

(i) Conduct a program, designed to serve all political subdivisions in the State (not necessarily in a uniform manner), that provides assistance to needy families with (or expecting) children and provides parents with job preparation, work, and support services to enable them to leave the program and become self-sufficient.

(ii) Require a parent or caretaker receiving assistance under the program to engage in work (as defined by the State) once the State determines the parent or caretaker is ready to engage in work, or once the parent or caretaker has received assistance under the program for 24 months (whether or not consecutive), whichever is earlier, consistent with section 607 (e)(2) of this title.

(iii) Ensure that parents and caretakers receiving assistance under the program engage in work activities in accordance with section 607 of this title.

(iv) Take such reasonable steps as the State deems necessary to restrict the use and disclosure of information about individuals and families receiving assistance under the program attributable to funds provided by the Federal Government.

(v) Establish goals and take action to prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies, with special emphasis on teenage pregnancies, and establish numerical goals for reducing the illegitimacy ratio of the State (as defined in section 603 (a)(2)(C)(iii)1 of this title) for calendar years 1996 through 2005.

(vi) Conduct a program, designed to reach State and local law enforcement officials, the education system, and relevant counseling services, that provides education and training on the problem of statutory rape so that teenage pregnancy prevention programs may be expanded in scope to include men.

(B) Special provisions

(i) The document shall indicate whether the State intends to treat families moving into the State from another State differently than other families under the program, and if so, how the State intends to treat such families under the program.

(ii) The document shall indicate whether the State intends to provide assistance under the program to individuals who are not citizens of the United States, and if so, shall include an overview of such assistance.

(iii) The document shall set forth objective criteria for the delivery of benefits and the determination of eligibility and for fair and equitable treatment, including an explanation of how the State will provide opportunities for recipients who have been adversely affected to be heard in a State administrative or appeal process.

(iv) Not later than 1 year after August 22, 1996, unless the chief executive officer of the State opts out of this provision by notifying the Secretary, a State shall, consistent with the exception provided in section 607 (e)(2) of this title, require a parent or caretaker receiving assistance under the program who, after receiving such assistance for 2 months is not exempt from work requirements and is not engaged in work, as determined under section 607 (c) of this title, to participate in community service employment, with minimum hours per week and tasks to be determined by the State.

(2) Certification that the State will operate a child support enforcement program
A certification by the chief executive officer of the State that, during the fiscal year, the State will operate a child support enforcement program under the State plan approved under part D of this subchapter.

(3) Certification that the State will operate a foster care and adoption assistance program
A certification by the chief executive officer of the State that, during the fiscal year, the State will operate a foster care and adoption assistance program under the State plan approved under part E of this subchapter, and that the State will take such actions as are necessary to ensure that children receiving assistance under such part are eligible for medical assistance under the State plan under subchapter XIX of this chapter.

(4) Certification of the administration of the program
A certification by the chief executive officer of the State specifying which State agency or agencies will administer and supervise the program referred to in paragraph (1) for the fiscal year, which shall include assurances that local governments and private sector organizations

(A) have been consulted regarding the plan and design of welfare services in the State so that services are provided in a manner appropriate to local populations; and

(B) have had at least 45 days to submit comments on the plan and the design of such services.

(5) Certification that the State will provide Indians with equitable access to assistance
A certification by the chief executive officer of the State that, during the fiscal year, the State will provide each member of an Indian tribe, who is domiciled in the State and is not eligible for assistance under a tribal family assistance plan approved under section 612 of this title, with equitable access to assistance under the State program funded under this part attributable to funds provided by the Federal Government.

(6) Certification of standards and procedures to ensure against program fraud and abuse
A certification by the chief executive officer of the State that the State has established and is enforcing standards and procedures to ensure against program fraud and abuse, including standards and procedures concerning nepotism, conflicts of interest among individuals responsible for the administration and supervision of the State program, kickbacks, and the use of political patronage.

(7) Optional certification of standards and procedures to ensure that the State will screen for and identify domestic violence

(A) In general
At the option of the State, a certification by the chief executive officer of the State that the State has established and is enforcing standards and procedures to

(i) screen and identify individuals receiving assistance under this part with a history of domestic violence while maintaining the confidentiality of such individuals;

(ii) refer such individuals to counseling and supportive services; and

(iii) waive, pursuant to a determination of good cause, other program requirements such as time limits (for so long as necessary) for individuals receiving assistance, residency requirements, child support cooperation requirements, and family cap provisions, in cases where compliance with such requirements would make it more difficult for individuals receiving assistance under this part to escape domestic violence or unfairly penalize such individuals who are or have been victimized by such violence, or individuals who are at risk of further domestic violence.

(B) “Domestic violence” defined
For purposes of this paragraph, the term domestic violence has the same meaning as the term battered or subjected to extreme cruelty, as defined in section 608 (a)(7)(C)(iii) of this title.

(b) Plan amendments
Within 30 days after a State amends a plan submitted pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the State shall notify the Secretary of the amendment.

(c) Public availability of State plan summary
The State shall make available to the public a summary of any plan or plan amendment submitted by the State under this section.

[1] See References in Text note below.

42 USC 603 - Grants to States

(a) Grants

(1) Family assistance grant

(A) In general
Each eligible State shall be entitled to receive from the Secretary, for each of fiscal years 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003, a grant in an amount equal to the State family assistance grant.

(B) State family assistance grant
The State family assistance grant payable to a State for a fiscal year shall be the amount that bears the same ratio to the amount specified in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph as the amount required to be paid to the State under this paragraph for fiscal year 2002 (determined without regard to any reduction pursuant to section 609 or 612 (a)(1) of this title) bears to the total amount required to be paid under this paragraph for fiscal year 2002 (as so determined).

(C) Appropriation
Out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated for fiscal year 2003 $16,566,542,000 for grants under this paragraph.

(2) Healthy marriage promotion and responsible fatherhood grants

(A) In general

(i) Use of funds Subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C), the Secretary may use the funds made available under subparagraph (D) for the purpose of conducting and supporting research and demonstration projects by public or private entities, and providing technical assistance to States, Indian tribes and tribal organizations, and such other entities as the Secretary may specify that are receiving a grant under another provision of this part.

(ii) Limitations The Secretary may not award funds made available under this paragraph on a noncompetitive basis, and may not provide any such funds to an entity for the purpose of carrying out healthy marriage promotion activities or for the purpose of carrying out activities promoting responsible fatherhood unless the entity has submitted to the Secretary an application which

(I) describes

(aa) how the programs or activities proposed in the application will address, as appropriate, issues of domestic violence; and

(bb) what the applicant will do, to the extent relevant, to ensure that participation in the programs or activities is voluntary, and to inform potential participants that their participation is voluntary; and

(II) contains a commitment by the entity

(aa) to not use the funds for any other purpose; and

(bb) to consult with experts in domestic violence or relevant community domestic violence coalitions in developing the programs and activities.

(iii) Healthy marriage promotion activities In clause (ii), the term healthy marriage promotion activities means the following:

(I) Public advertising campaigns on the value of marriage and the skills needed to increase marital stability and health.

(II) Education in high schools on the value of marriage, relationship skills, and budgeting.

(III) Marriage education, marriage skills, and relationship skills programs, that may include parenting skills, financial management, conflict resolution, and job and career advancement, for non-married pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers.

(IV) Pre-marital education and marriage skills training for engaged couples and for couples or individuals interested in marriage.

(V) Marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for married couples.

(VI) Divorce reduction programs that teach relationship skills.

(VII) Marriage mentoring programs which use married couples as role models and mentors in at-risk communities.

(VIII) Programs to reduce the disincentives to marriage in means-tested aid programs, if offered in conjunction with any activity described in this subparagraph.

(B) Limitation on use of funds for demonstration projects for coordination of provision of child welfare and TANF services to tribal families at risk of child abuse or neglect

(i) In general Of the amounts made available under subparagraph (D) for a fiscal year, the Secretary may not award more than $2,000,000 on a competitive basis to fund demonstration projects designed to test the effectiveness of tribal governments or tribal consortia in coordinating the provision to tribal families at risk of child abuse or neglect of child welfare services and services under tribal programs funded under this part.

(ii) Limitation on use of funds A grant made pursuant to clause (i) to such a project shall not be used for any purpose other than

(I) to improve case management for families eligible for assistance from such a tribal program;

(II) for supportive services and assistance to tribal children in out-of-home placements and the tribal families caring for such children, including families who adopt such children; and

(III) for prevention services and assistance to tribal families at risk of child abuse and neglect.

(iii) Reports The Secretary may require a recipient of funds awarded under this subparagraph to provide the Secretary with such information as the Secretary deems relevant to enable the Secretary to facilitate and oversee the administration of any project for which funds are provided under this subparagraph.

(i) In general Of the amounts made available under subparagraph (D) for a fiscal year, the Secretary may not award more than $50,000,000 on a competitive basis to States, territories, Indian tribes and tribal organizations, and public and nonprofit">nonprofit community entities, including religious organizations, for activities promoting responsible fatherhood.

(ii) Activities promoting responsible fatherhood In this paragraph, the term activities promoting responsible fatherhood means the following:

(I) Activities to promote marriage or sustain marriage through activities such as counseling, mentoring, disseminating information about the benefits of marriage and 2-parent involvement for children, enhancing relationship skills, education regarding how to control aggressive behavior, disseminating information on the causes of domestic violence and child abuse, marriage preparation programs, premarital counseling, marital inventories, skills-based marriage education, financial planning seminars, including improving a familys ability to effectively manage family business affairs by means such as education, counseling, or mentoring on matters related to family finances, including household management, budgeting, banking, and handling of financial transactions and home maintenance, and divorce education and reduction programs, including mediation and counseling.

(II) Activities to promote responsible parenting through activities such as counseling, mentoring, and mediation, disseminating information about good parenting practices, skills-based parenting education, encouraging child support payments, and other methods.

(III) Activities to foster economic stability by helping fathers improve their economic status by providing activities such as work first services, job search, job training, subsidized employment, job retention, job enhancement, and encouraging education, including career-advancing education, dissemination of employment materials, coordination with existing employment services such as welfare-to-work programs, referrals to local employment training initiatives, and other methods.

(IV) Activities to promote responsible fatherhood that are conducted through a contract with a nationally recognized, nonprofit">nonprofit fatherhood promotion organization, such as the development, promotion, and distribution of a media campaign to encourage the appropriate involvement of parents in the life of any child and specifically the issue of responsible fatherhood, and the development of a national clearinghouse to assist States and communities in efforts to promote and support marriage and responsible fatherhood.

(D) Appropriation
Out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated $150,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2010, for expenditure in accordance with this paragraph.

(3) Supplemental grant for population increases in certain States

(A) In general
Each qualifying State shall, subject to subparagraph (F), be entitled to receive from the Secretary

(i) for fiscal year 1998 a grant in an amount equal to 2.5 percent of the total amount required to be paid to the State under former section 603 of this title (as in effect during fiscal year 1994) for fiscal year 1994; and

(ii) for each of fiscal years 1999, 2000, and 2001, a grant in an amount equal to the sum of

(I) the amount (if any) required to be paid to the State under this paragraph for the immediately preceding fiscal year; and

(II) 2.5 percent of the sum of

(aa) the total amount required to be paid to the State under former section 603 of this title (as in effect during fiscal year 1994) for fiscal year 1994; and

(bb) the amount (if any) required to be paid to the State under this paragraph for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which the grant is to be made.

(B) Preservation of grant without increases for States failing to remain qualifying States
Each State that is not a qualifying State for a fiscal year specified in subparagraph (A)(ii) but was a qualifying State for a prior fiscal year shall, subject to subparagraph (F), be entitled to receive from the Secretary for the specified fiscal year, a grant in an amount equal to the amount required to be paid to the State under this paragraph for the most recent fiscal year for which the State was a qualifying State.

(i) In general For purposes of this paragraph, a State is a qualifying State for a fiscal year if

(I) the level of welfare spending per poor person by the State for the immediately preceding fiscal year is less than the national average level of State welfare spending per poor person for such preceding fiscal year; and

(II) the population growth rate of the State (as determined by the Bureau of the Census) for the most recent fiscal year for which information is available exceeds the average population growth rate for all States (as so determined) for such most recent fiscal year.

(ii) State must qualify in fiscal year 1998 Notwithstanding clause (i), a State shall not be a qualifying State for any fiscal year after 1998 by reason of clause (i) if the State is not a qualifying State for fiscal year 1998 by reason of clause (i).

(iii) Certain States deemed qualifying States For purposes of this paragraph, a State is deemed to be a qualifying State for fiscal years 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001 if

(I) the level of welfare spending per poor person by the State for fiscal year 1994 is less than 35 percent of the national average level of State welfare spending per poor person for fiscal year 1994; or

(II) the population of the State increased by more than 10 percent from April 1, 1990 to July 1, 1994, according to the population estimates in publication CB94204 of the Bureau of the Census.

(D) Definitions
As used in this paragraph:

(i) Level of welfare spending per poor person The term level of State welfare spending per poor person means, with respect to a State and a fiscal year

(I) the sum of

(aa) the total amount required to be paid to the State under former section 603 of this title (as in effect during fiscal year 1994) for fiscal year 1994; and

(bb) the amount (if any) paid to the State under this paragraph for the immediately preceding fiscal year; divided by

(II) the number of individuals, according to the 1990 decennial census, who were residents of the State and whose income was below the poverty line.

(ii) National average level of State welfare spending per poor person The term national average level of State welfare spending per poor person means, with respect to a fiscal year, an amount equal to

(I) the total amount required to be paid to the States under former section 603 of this title (as in effect during fiscal year 1994) for fiscal year 1994; divided by

(II) the number of individuals, according to the 1990 decennial census, who were residents of any State and whose income was below the poverty line.

(iii) State The term State means each of the 50 States of the United States and the District of Columbia.

(E) Appropriation
Out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated for fiscal years 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001 such sums as are necessary for grants under this paragraph, in a total amount not to exceed $800,000,000.

(F) Grants reduced pro rata if insufficient appropriations
If the amount appropriated pursuant to this paragraph for a fiscal year is less than the total amount of payments otherwise required to be made under this paragraph for the fiscal year, then the amount otherwise payable to any State for the fiscal year under this paragraph shall be reduced by a percentage equal to the amount so appropriated divided by such total amount.

(G) Budget scoring
Notwithstanding section 907 (b)(2) of title 2, the baseline shall assume that no grant shall be made under this paragraph after fiscal year 2001.

(H) Reauthorization
Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph

(i) any State that was a qualifying State under this paragraph for fiscal year 2001 or any prior fiscal year shall be entitled to receive from the Secretary for each of fiscal years 2002 and 2003 a grant in an amount equal to the amount required to be paid to the State under this paragraph for the most recent fiscal year in which the State was a qualifying State;

(ii) subparagraph (G) shall be applied as if fiscal year 2008 were substituted for fiscal year 2001; and

(iii) out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated for each of fiscal years 2002 and 2003 such sums as are necessary for grants under this subparagraph.

(4) Bonus to reward high performance States

(A) In general
The Secretary shall make a grant pursuant to this paragraph to each State for each bonus year for which the State is a high performing State.

(B) Amount of grant

(i) In general Subject to clause (ii) of this subparagraph, the Secretary shall determine the amount of the grant payable under this paragraph to a high performing State for a bonus year, which shall be based on the score assigned to the State under subparagraph (D)(i) for the fiscal year that immediately precedes the bonus year.

(ii) Limitation The amount payable to a State under this paragraph for a bonus year shall not exceed 5 percent of the State family assistance grant.

(C) Formula for measuring State performance
Not later than 1 year after August 22, 1996, the Secretary, in consultation with the National Governors Association and the American Public Welfare Association, shall develop a formula for measuring State performance in operating the State program funded under this part so as to achieve the goals set forth in section 601 (a) of this title.

(D) Scoring of State performance; setting of performance thresholds
For each bonus year, the Secretary shall

(i) use the formula developed under subparagraph (C) to assign a score to each eligible State for the fiscal year that immediately precedes the bonus year; and

(ii) prescribe a performance threshold in such a manner so as to ensure that

(I) the average annual total amount of grants to be made under this paragraph for each bonus year equals $200,000,000; and

(II) the total amount of grants to be made under this paragraph for all bonus years equals $1,000,000,000.

(E) Definitions
As used in this paragraph:

(i) Bonus year The term bonus year means fiscal years 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003.

(ii) High performing State The term high performing State means, with respect to a bonus year, an eligible State whose score assigned pursuant to subparagraph (D)(i) for the fiscal year immediately preceding the bonus year equals or exceeds the performance threshold prescribed under subparagraph (D)(ii) for such preceding fiscal year.

(F) Appropriation
Out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated for fiscal years 1999 through 2003 $1,000,000,000 for grants under this paragraph.

(5) Welfare-to-work grants

(A) Formula grants

(i) Entitlement A State shall be entitled to receive from the Secretary of Labor a grant for each fiscal year specified in subparagraph (H) of this paragraph for which the State is a welfare-to-work State, in an amount that does not exceed the lesser of

(I) 2 times the total of the expenditures by the State (excluding qualified State expenditures (as defined in section 609 (a)(7)(B)(i) of this title) and any expenditure described in subclause (I), (II), or (IV) of section 609 (a)(7)(B)(iv) of this title) during the period permitted under subparagraph (C)(vii) of this paragraph for the expenditure of funds under the grant for activities described in subparagraph (C)(i) of this paragraph; or

(II) the allotment of the State under clause (iii) of this subparagraph for the fiscal year.

(ii) Welfare-to-work State A State shall be considered a welfare-to-work State for a fiscal year for purposes of this paragraph if the Secretary of Labor determines that the State meets the following requirements:

(I) The State has submitted to the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (in the form of an addendum to the State plan submitted under section 602 of this title) a plan which

(aa) describes how, consistent with this subparagraph, the State will use any funds provided under this subparagraph during the fiscal year;

(bb) specifies the formula to be used pursuant to clause (vi) to distribute funds in the State, and describes the process by which the formula was developed;

(cc) contains evidence that the plan was developed in consultation and coordination with appropriate entitites^[1] in sub-State areas;

(dd) contains assurances by the Governor of the State that the private industry council (and any alternate agency designated by the Governor under item (ee)) for a service delivery area in the State will coordinate the expenditure of any funds provided under this subparagraph for the benefit of the service delivery area with the expenditure of the funds provided to the State under paragraph (1);

(ee) if the Governor of the State desires to have an agency other than a private industry council administer the funds provided under this subparagraph for the benefit of 1 or more service delivery areas in the State, contains an application to the Secretary of Labor for a waiver of clause (vii)(I) with respect to the area or areas in order to permit an alternate agency designated by the Governor to so administer the funds; and

(ff) describes how the State will ensure that a private industry council to which information is disclosed pursuant to section 603 (a)(5)(K)2 or 654A (f)(5) of this title has procedures for safeguarding the information and for ensuring that the information is used solely for the purpose described in that section.

(II) The State has provided to the Secretary of Labor an estimate of the amount that the State intends to expend during the period permitted under subparagraph (C)(vii) of this paragraph for the expenditure of funds under the grant (excluding expenditures described in section 609 (a)(7)(B)(iv) of this title (other than subclause (III) thereof)) pursuant to this paragraph.

(III) The State has agreed to negotiate in good faith with the Secretary of Health and Human Services with respect to the substance and funding of any evaluation under section 613 (j) of this title, and to cooperate with the conduct of any such evaluation.

(IV) The State is an eligible State for the fiscal year.

(V) The State certifies that qualified State expenditures (within the meaning of section 609 (a)(7) of this title) for the fiscal year will be not less than the applicable percentage of historic State expenditures (within the meaning of section 609 (a)(7) of this title) with respect to the fiscal year.

(iii) Allotments to welfare-to-work States

(I) In general Subject to this clause, the allotment of a welfare-to-work State for a fiscal year shall be the available amount for the fiscal year, multiplied by the State percentage for the fiscal year.

(II) Minimum allotment The allotment of a welfare-to-work State (other than Guam, the Virgin Islands, or American Samoa) for a fiscal year shall not be less than 0.25 percent of the available amount for the fiscal year.

(III) Pro rata reduction Subject to subclause (II), the Secretary of Labor shall make pro rata reductions in the allotments to States under this clause for a fiscal year as necessary to ensure that the total of the allotments does not exceed the available amount for the fiscal year.

(iv) Available amount As used in this subparagraph, the term available amount means, for a fiscal year, the sum of

(I) 75 percent of the sum of

(aa) the amount specified in subparagraph (H) for the fiscal year, minus the total of the amounts reserved pursuant to subparagraphs (E), (F), and (G) for the fiscal year; and

(bb) any amount reserved pursuant to subparagraph (E) for the immediately preceding fiscal year that has not been obligated; and

(II) any available amount for the immediately preceding fiscal year that has not been obligated by a State, other than funds reserved by the State for distribution under clause (vi)(III) and funds distributed pursuant to clause (vi)(I) in any State in which the service delivery area is the State.

(v) State percentage As used in clause (iii), the term State percentage means, with respect to a fiscal year, 1/2 of the sum of

(I) the percentage represented by the number of individuals in the State whose income is less than the poverty line divided by the number of such individuals in the United States; and

(II) the percentage represented by the number of adults who are recipients of assistance under the State program funded under this part divided by the number of adults in the United States who are recipients of assistance under any State program funded under this part.

(vi) Procedure for distribution of funds within States

(I) Allocation formula A State to which a grant is made under this subparagraph shall devise a formula for allocating not less than 85 percent of the amount of the grant among the service delivery areas in the State, which

(aa) determines the amount to be allocated for the benefit of a service delivery area in proportion to the number (if any) by which the population of the area with an income that is less than the poverty line exceeds 7.5 percent of the total population of the area, relative to such number for all such areas in the State with such an excess, and accords a weight of not less than 50 percent to this factor;

(bb) may determine the amount to be allocated for the benefit of such an area in proportion to the number of adults residing in the area who have been recipients of assistance under the State program funded under this part (whether in effect before or after the amendments made by section 103(a) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 first applied to the State) for at least 30 months (whether or not consecutive) relative to the number of such adults residing in the State; and

(cc) may determine the amount to be allocated for the benefit of such an area in proportion to the number of unemployed individuals residing in the area relative to the number of such individuals residing in the State.

(II) Distribution of funds

(aa) In general If the amount allocated by the formula to a service delivery area is at least $100,000, the State shall distribute the amount to the entity administering the grant in the area.

(bb) Special rule If the amount allocated by the formula to a service delivery area is less than $100,000, the sum shall be available for distribution in the State under subclause (III) during the fiscal year.

(III) Projects to help long-term recipients of assistance enter unsubsidized jobs The Governor of a State to which a grant is made under this subparagraph may distribute not more than 15 percent of the grant funds (plus any amount required to be distributed under this subclause by reason of subclause (II)(bb)) to projects that appear likely to help long-term recipients of assistance under the State program funded under this part (whether in effect before or after the amendments made by section 103(a) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 first applied to the State) enter unsubsidized employment.

(vii) Administration

(I) Private industry councils The private industry council for a service delivery area in a State shall have sole authority, in coordination with the chief elected official (as defined in section 101 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 [29 U.S.C. 2801]) of the area, to expend the amounts distributed under clause (vi)(II)(aa) for the benefit of the service delivery area, in accordance with the assurances described in clause (ii)(I)(dd) provided by the Governor of the State.

(II) Enforcement of coordination of expenditures with other expenditures under this part Notwithstanding subclause (I) of this clause, on a determination by the Governor of a State that a private industry council (or an alternate agency described in clause (ii)(I)(dd)) has used funds provided under this subparagraph in a manner inconsistent with the assurances described in clause (ii)(I)(dd)

(aa) the private industry council (or such alternate agency) shall remit the funds to the Governor; and

(bb) the Governor shall apply to the Secretary of Labor for a waiver of subclause (I) of this clause with respect to the service delivery area or areas involved in order to permit an alternate agency designated by the Governor to administer the funds in accordance with the assurances.

(III) Authority to permit use of alternate administering agency The Secretary of Labor shall approve an application submitted under clause (ii)(I)(ee) or subclause (II)(bb) of this clause to waive subclause (I) of this clause with respect to 1 or more service delivery areas if the Secretary determines that the alternate agency designated in the application would improve the effectiveness or efficiency of the administration of amounts distributed under clause (vi)(II)(aa) for the benefit of the area or areas.

(viii) Data to be used in determining the number of adult TANF recipients For purposes of this subparagraph, the number of adult recipients of assistance under a State program funded under this part for a fiscal year shall be determined using data for the most recent 12-month period for which such data is available before the beginning of the fiscal year.

(ix) Reversion of unallotted formula funds If at the end of any fiscal year any funds available under this subparagraph have not been allotted due to a determination by the Secretary that any State has not met the requirements of clause (ii), such funds shall be transferred to the General Fund of the Treasury of the United States.

(B) Competitive grants

(i) In general The Secretary of Labor shall award grants in accordance with this subparagraph, in fiscal years 1998 and 1999, for projects proposed by eligible applicants, based on the following:

(I) The effectiveness of the proposal in

(aa) expanding the base of knowledge about programs aimed at moving recipients of assistance under State programs funded under this part who are least job ready into unsubsidized employment.^[3]

(bb) moving recipients of assistance under State programs funded under this part who are least job ready into unsubsidized employment; and

(cc) moving recipients of assistance under State programs funded under this part who are least job ready into unsubsidized employment, even in labor markets that have a shortage of low-skill jobs.

(II) At the discretion of the Secretary of Labor, any of the following:

(aa) The history of success of the applicant in moving individuals with multiple barriers into work.

(bb) Evidence of the applicants ability to leverage private, State, and local resources.

(cc) Use by the applicant of State and local resources beyond those required by subparagraph (A).

(dd) Plans of the applicant to coordinate with other organizations at the local and State level.

(ee) Use by the applicant of current or former recipients of assistance under a State program funded under this part as mentors, case managers, or service providers.

(ii) Eligible applicants As used in clause (i), the term eligible applicant means a private industry council for a service delivery area in a State, a political subdivision of a State, or a private entity applying in conjunction with the private industry council for such a service delivery area or with such a political subdivision, that submits a proposal developed in consultation with the Governor of the State.

(iii) Determination of grant amount In determining the amount of a grant to be made under this subparagraph for a project proposed by an applicant, the Secretary of Labor shall provide the applicant with an amount sufficient to ensure that the project has a reasonable opportunity to be successful, taking into account the number of long-term recipients of assistance under a State program funded under this part, the level of unemployment, the job opportunities and job growth, the poverty rate, and such other factors as the Secretary of Labor deems appropriate, in the area to be served by the project.

(iv) Consideration of needs of rural areas and cities with large concentrations of poverty In making grants under this subparagraph, the Secretary of Labor shall consider the needs of rural areas and cities with large concentrations of residents with an income that is less than the poverty line.

(v) Funding For grants under this subparagraph for each fiscal year specified in subparagraph (H), there shall be available to the Secretary of Labor an amount equal to the sum of

(I) 25 percent of the sum of

(aa) the amount specified in subparagraph (H) for the fiscal year, minus the total of the amounts reserved pursuant to subparagraphs (E), (F), and (G) for the fiscal year; and

(bb) any amount reserved pursuant to subparagraph (E) for the immediately preceding fiscal year that has not been obligated; and

(II) any amount available for grants under this subparagraph for the immediately preceding fiscal year that has not been obligated.

(i) Allowable activities An entity to which funds are provided under this paragraph shall use the funds to move individuals into and keep individuals in lasting unsubsidized employment by means of any of the following:

(I) The conduct and administration of community service or work experience programs.

(II) Job creation through public or private sector employment wage subsidies.

(III) On-the-job training.

(IV) Contracts with public or private providers of readiness, placement, and post-employment services, or if the entity is not a private industry council or workforce investment board, the direct provision of such services.

(V) Job vouchers for placement, readiness, and postemployment services.

(VI) Job retention or support services if such services are not otherwise available.

(VII) Not more than 6 months of vocational educational or job training.

Contracts or vouchers for job placement services supported by such funds must require that at least 1/2 of the payment occur after an eligible individual placed into the workforce has been in the workforce for 6 months.

(ii) General eligibility An entity that operates a project with funds provided under this paragraph may expend funds provided to the project for the benefit of recipients of assistance under the program funded under this part of the State in which the entity is located who

(I) has received assistance under the State program funded under this part (whether in effect before or after the amendments made by section 103 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 first apply to the State) for at least 30 months (whether or not consecutive); or

(II) within 12 months, will become ineligible for assistance under the State program funded under this part by reason of a durational limit on such assistance, without regard to any exemption provided pursuant to section 608 (a)(7)(C) of this title that may apply to the individual.

(iii) Noncustodial parents An entity that operates a project with funds provided under this paragraph may use the funds to provide services in a form described in clause (i) to noncustodial parents with respect to whom the requirements of the following subclauses are met:

(I) The noncustodial parent is unemployed, underemployed, or having difficulty in paying child support obligations.

(II) At least 1 of the following applies to a minor child of the noncustodial parent (with preference in the determination of the noncustodial parents to be provided services under this paragraph to be provided by the entity to those noncustodial parents with minor children who meet, or who have custodial parents who meet, the requirements of item (aa)):

(aa) The minor child or the custodial parent of the minor child meets the requirements of subclause (I) or (II) of clause (ii).

(bb) The minor child is eligible for, or is receiving, benefits under the program funded under this part.

(cc) The minor child received benefits under the program funded under this part in the 12-month period preceding the date of the determination but no longer receives such benefits.

(dd) The minor child is eligible for, or is receiving, assistance under the Food Stamp Act of 1977 [7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.], benefits under the supplemental security income program under subchapter XVI of this chapter, medical assistance under subchapter XIX of this chapter, or child health assistance under subchapter XXI of this chapter.

(III) In the case of a noncustodial parent who becomes enrolled in the project on or after November 29, 1999, the noncustodial parent is in compliance with the terms of an oral or written personal responsibility contract entered into among the noncustodial parent, the entity, and (unless the entity demonstrates to the Secretary that the entity is not capable of coordinating with such agency) the agency responsible for administering the State plan under part D of this subchapter, which was developed taking into account the employment and child support status of the noncustodial parent, which was entered into not later than 30 (or, at the option of the entity, not later than 90) days after the noncustodial parent was enrolled in the project, and which, at a minimum, includes the following:

(aa) A commitment by the noncustodial parent to cooperate, at the earliest opportunity, in the establishment of the paternity of the minor child, through voluntary acknowledgement or other procedures, and in the establishment of a child support order.

(bb) A commitment by the noncustodial parent to cooperate in the payment of child support for the minor child, which may include a modification of an existing support order to take into account the ability of the noncustodial parent to pay such support and the participation of such parent in the project.

(cc) A commitment by the noncustodial parent to participate in employment or related activities that will enable the noncustodial parent to make regular child support payments, and if the noncustodial parent has not attained 20 years of age, such related activities may include completion of high school, a general equivalency degree, or other education directly related to employment.

(dd) A description of the services to be provided under this paragraph, and a commitment by the noncustodial parent to participate in such services, that are designed to assist the noncustodial parent obtain and retain employment, increase earnings, and enhance the financial and emotional contributions to the well-being of the minor child. In order to protect custodial parents and children who may be at risk of domestic violence, the preceding provisions of this subclause shall not be construed to affect any other provision of law requiring a custodial parent to cooperate in establishing the paternity of a child or establishing or enforcing a support order with respect to a child, or entitling a custodial parent to refuse, for good cause, to provide such cooperation as a condition of assistance or benefit under any program, shall not be construed to require such cooperation by the custodial parent as a condition of participation of either parent in the program authorized under this paragraph, and shall not be construed to require a custodial parent to cooperate with or participate in any activity under this clause. The entity operating a project under this clause with funds provided under this paragraph shall consult with domestic violence prevention and intervention organizations in the development of the project.

(iv) Targeting of hard to employ individuals with characteristics associated with long-term welfare dependence An entity that operates a project with funds provided under this paragraph may expend not more than 30 percent of all funds provided to the project for programs that provide assistance in a form described in clause (i)

(I) to recipients of assistance under the program funded under this part of the State in which the entity is located who have characteristics associated with long-term welfare dependence (such as school dropout, teen pregnancy, or poor work history), including, at the option of the State, by providing assistance in such form as a condition of receiving assistance under the State program funded under this part;

(II) to children

(aa) who have attained 18 years of age but not 25 years of age; and

(bb) who, before attaining 18 years of age, were recipients of foster care maintenance payments (as defined in section 675 (4) of this title) under part E of this subchapter or were in foster care under the responsibility of a State;

(III) to recipients of assistance under the State program funded under this part, determined to have significant barriers to self-sufficiency, pursuant to criteria established by the local private industry council; or

(IV) to custodial parents with incomes below 100 percent of the poverty line (as defined in section 9902 (2) of this title, including any revision required by such section, applicable to a family of the size involved).

To the extent that the entity does not expend such funds in accordance with the preceding sentence, the entity shall expend such funds in accordance with clauses (ii) and (iii) and, as appropriate, clause (v).

(v) Authority to provide work-related services to individuals who have reached the 5-year limit An entity that operates a project with funds provided under this paragraph may use the funds to provide assistance in a form described in clause (i) of this subparagraph to, or for the benefit of, individuals who (but for section 608 (a)(7) of this title) would be eligible for assistance under the program funded under this part of the State in which the entity is located.

(vi) Relationship to other provisions of this part

(I) Rules governing use of funds The rules of section 604 of this title, other than subsections (b), (f), and (h) of section 604 of this title, shall not apply to a grant made under this paragraph.

(II) Rules governing payments to States The Secretary of Labor shall carry out the functions otherwise assigned by section 605 of this title to the Secretary of Health and Human Services with respect to the grants payable under this paragraph.

(III) Administration Section 616 of this title shall not apply to the programs under this paragraph.

(vii) Prohibition against use of grant funds for any other fund matching requirement An entity to which funds are provided under this paragraph shall not use any part of the funds, nor any part of State expenditures made to match the funds, to fulfill any obligation of any State, political subdivision, or private industry council to contribute funds under subsection (b) of this section or section 618 of this title or any other provision of this chapter or other Federal law.

(viii) Deadline for expenditure An entity to which funds are provided under this paragraph shall remit to the Secretary of Labor any part of the funds that are not expended within 5 years after the date the funds are so provided.

(ix) Regulations Within 90 days after August 5, 1997, the Secretary of Labor, after consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to implement this paragraph.

(x) Reporting requirements The Secretary of Labor, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, States, and organizations that represent State or local governments, shall establish requirements for the collection and maintenance of financial and participant information and the reporting of such information by entities carrying out activities under this paragraph.

(D) Definitions

(i) Individuals with income less than the poverty line For purposes of this paragraph, the number of individuals with an income that is less than the poverty line shall be determined for a fiscal year

(I) based on the methodology used by the Bureau of the Census to produce and publish intercensal poverty data for States and counties (or, in the case of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa, other poverty data selected by the Secretary of Labor); and

(II) using data for the most recent year for which such data is available before the beginning of the fiscal year.

(ii) Private industry council As used in this paragraph, the term private industry council means, with respect to a service delivery area, the private industry council or local workforce investment board established for the service delivery area pursuant to title I of the Workforce Investment Area^[4] of 1998 [29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.], as appropriate.

(iii) Service delivery area As used in this paragraph, the term service delivery area shall have the meaning given such term for purposes of the Job Training Partnership Act or.^[5]

(E) Funding for Indian tribes
1 percent of the amount specified in subparagraph (H) for fiscal year 1998 and $15,000,000 of the amount so specified for fiscal year 1999 shall be reserved for grants to Indian tribes under section 612 (a)(3) of this title.

(F) Funding for evaluations of welfare-to-work programs
0.6 percent of the amount specified in subparagraph (H) for fiscal year 1998 and $9,000,000 of the amount so specified for fiscal year 1999 shall be reserved for use by the Secretary to carry out section 613 (j) of this title.

(G) Funding for evaluation of abstinence education programs

(i) In general 0.2 percent of the amount specified in subparagraph (H) for fiscal year 1998 and $3,000,000 of the amount so specified for fiscal year 1999 shall be reserved for use by the Secretary to evaluate programs under section 710 of this title, directly or through grants, contracts, or interagency agreements.

(ii) Authority to use funds for evaluations of welfare-to-work programs Any such amount not required for such evaluations shall be available for use by the Secretary to carry out section 613 (j) of this title.

(iii) Deadline for outlays Outlays from funds used pursuant to clause (i) for evaluation of programs under section 710 of this title shall not be made after fiscal year 2005.

(iv) Interim report Not later than January 1, 2002, the Secretary shall submit to the Congress an interim report on the evaluations referred to in clause (i).

(H) Appropriations

(i) In general Out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated for grants under this paragraph

(I) $1,500,000,000 for fiscal year 1998; and

(II) $1,400,000,000 for fiscal year 1999.

(ii) Availability The amounts made available pursuant to clause (i) shall remain available for such period as is necessary to make the grants provided for in this paragraph.

(I) Worker protections

(i) Nondisplacement in work activities

(I) General prohibition Subject to this clause, an adult in a family receiving assistance attributable to funds provided under this paragraph may fill a vacant employment position in order to engage in a work activity.

(II) Prohibition against violation of contracts A work activity engaged in under a program operated with funds provided under this paragraph shall not violate an existing contract for services or a collective bargaining agreement, and such a work activity that would violate a collective bargaining agreement shall not be undertaken without the written concurrence of the labor organization and employer concerned.

(III) Other prohibitions An adult participant in a work activity engaged in under a program operated with funds provided under this paragraph shall not be employed or assigned

(aa) when any other individual is on layoff from the same or any substantially equivalent job;

(bb) if the employer has terminated the employment of any regular employee or otherwise caused an involuntary reduction in its workforce with the intention of filling the vacancy so created with the participant; or

(cc) if the employer has caused an involuntary reduction to less than full time in hours of any employee in the same or a substantially equivalent job.

(ii) Health and safety Health and safety standards established under Federal and State law otherwise applicable to working conditions of employees shall be equally applicable to working conditions of other participants engaged in a work activity under a program operated with funds provided under this paragraph.

(iii) Nondiscrimination In addition to the protections provided under the provisions of law specified in section 608 (c) of this title, an individual may not be discriminated against by reason of gender with respect to participation in work activities engaged in under a program operated with funds provided under this paragraph.

(iv) Grievance procedure

(I) In general Each State to which a grant is made under this paragraph shall establish and maintain a procedure for grievances or complaints from employees alleging violations of clause (i) and participants in work activities alleging violations of clause (i), (ii), or (iii).

(II) Hearing The procedure shall include an opportunity for a hearing.

(III) Remedies The procedure shall include remedies for violation of clause (i), (ii), or (iii), which may continue during the pendency of the procedure, and which may include

(aa) suspension or termination of payments from funds provided under this paragraph;

(bb) prohibition of placement of a participant with an employer that has violated clause (i), (ii), or (iii);

(cc) where applicable, reinstatement of an employee, payment of lost wages and benefits, and reestablishment of other relevant terms, conditions and privileges of employment; and

(dd) where appropriate, other equitable relief.

(IV) Appeals

(aa) Filing Not later than 30 days after a grievant or complainant receives an adverse decision under the procedure established pursuant to subclause (I), the grievant or complainant may appeal the decision to a State agency designated by the State which shall be independent of the State or local agency that is administering the programs operated with funds provided under this paragraph and the State agency administering, or supervising the administration of, the State program funded under this part.

(bb) Final determination Not later than 120 days after the State agency designated under item (aa) receives a grievance or complaint made under the procedure established by a State pursuant to subclause (I), the State agency shall make a final determination on the appeal.

(v) Rule of interpretation This subparagraph shall not be construed to affect the authority of a State to provide or require workers compensation.

(vi) Nonpreemption of State law The provisions of this subparagraph shall not be construed to preempt any provision of State law that affords greater protections to employees or to other participants engaged in work activities under a program funded under this part than is afforded by such provisions of this subparagraph.

(J) Information disclosure
If a State to which a grant is made under this section establishes safeguards against the use or disclosure of information about applicants or recipients of assistance under the State program funded under this part, the safeguards shall not prevent the State agency administering the program from furnishing to a private industry council the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and identifying case number information in the State program funded under this part, of noncustodial parents residing in the service delivery area of the private industry council, for the purpose of identifying and contacting noncustodial parents regarding participation in the program under this paragraph.

(b) Contingency Fund

(1) Establishment
There is hereby established in the Treasury of the United States a fund which shall be known as the Contingency Fund for State Welfare Programs (in this section referred to as the Fund).

(2) Deposits into Fund
Out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated for fiscal years 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003 such sums as are necessary for payment to the Fund in a total amount not to exceed $2,000,000,000, reduced by the sum of the dollar amounts specified in paragraph (6)(C)(ii).

(3) Grants

(A) Provisional payments
If an eligible State submits to the Secretary a request for funds under this paragraph during an eligible month, the Secretary shall, subject to this paragraph, pay to the State, from amounts appropriated pursuant to paragraph (2), an amount equal to the amount of funds so requested.

(B) Payment priority
The Secretary shall make payments under subparagraph (A) in the order in which the Secretary receives requests for such payments.

(i) Monthly payment to a State The total amount paid to a single State under subparagraph (A) during a month shall not exceed 1/12 of 20 percent of the State family assistance grant.

(ii) Payments to all States The total amount paid to all States under subparagraph (A) during fiscal years 1997 through 2010 shall not exceed the total amount appropriated pursuant to paragraph (2).

(4) “Eligible month” defined
As used in paragraph (3)(A), the term eligible month means, with respect to a State, a month in the 2-month period that begins with any month for which the State is a needy State.

(5) Needy State
For purposes of paragraph (4), a State is a needy State for a month if

(A) the average rate of

(i) total unemployment in such State (seasonally adjusted) for the period consisting of the most recent 3 months for which data for all States are published equals or exceeds 6.5 percent; and

(ii) total unemployment in such State (seasonally adjusted) for the 3-month period equals or exceeds 110 percent of such average rate for either (or both) of the corresponding 3-month periods ending in the 2 preceding calendar years; or

(B) as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture (in the discretion of the Secretary of Agriculture), the monthly average number of individuals (as of the last day of each month) participating in the food stamp program in the State in the then most recently concluded 3-month period for which data are available exceeds by not less than 10 percent the lesser of

(i) the monthly average number of individuals (as of the last day of each month) in the State that would have participated in the food stamp program in the corresponding 3-month period in fiscal year 1994 if the amendments made by titles IV [8 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.] and VIII of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 had been in effect throughout fiscal year 1994; or

(ii) the monthly average number of individuals (as of the last day of each month) in the State that would have participated in the food stamp program in the corresponding 3-month period in fiscal year 1995 if the amendments made by titles IV and VIII of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 had been in effect throughout fiscal year 1995.

(6) Annual reconciliation

(A) In general
Notwithstanding paragraph (3), if the Secretary makes a payment to a State under this subsection in a fiscal year, then the State shall remit to the Secretary, within 1 year after the end of the first subsequent period of 3 consecutive months for which the State is not a needy State, an amount equal to the amount (if any) by which

(i) the total amount paid to the State under paragraph (3) of this subsection in the fiscal year; exceeds

(ii) the product of

(I) the Federal medical assistance percentage for the State (as defined in section 1396d (b) of this title, as such section was in effect on September 30, 1995);

(II) the States reimbursable expenditures for the fiscal year; and

(III) 1/12 times the number of months during the fiscal year for which the Secretary made a payment to the State under such paragraph (3).

(B) Definitions
As used in subparagraph (A):

(i) Reimbursable expenditures The term reimbursable expenditures means, with respect to a State and a fiscal year, the amount (if any) by which

(I) countable State expenditures for the fiscal year; exceeds

(II) historic State expenditures (as defined in section 609 (a)(7)(B)(iii) of this title), excluding any amount expended by the State for child care under subsection (g) or (i) of section 602 of this title (as in effect during fiscal year 1994) for fiscal year 1994.

(ii) Countable State expenditures The term countable expenditures means, with respect to a State and a fiscal year

(I) the qualified State expenditures (as defined in section 609 (a)(7)(B)(i) of this title (other than the expenditures described in subclause (I)(bb) of such section)) under the State program funded under this part for the fiscal year; plus

(II) any amount paid to the State under paragraph (3) during the fiscal year that is expended by the State under the State program funded under this part.

(i) In general The amount otherwise required by subparagraph (A) to be remitted by a State for a fiscal year shall be increased by the lesser of

(I) the total adjustment for the fiscal year, multiplied by the adjustment percentage for the State for the fiscal year; or

(II) the unadjusted net payment to the State for the fiscal year.

(ii) Total adjustment As used in clause (i), the term total adjustment means

(I) in the case of fiscal year 1998, $2,000,000;

(II) in the case of fiscal year 1999, $9,000,000;

(III) in the case of fiscal year 2000, $16,000,000; and

(IV) in the case of fiscal year 2001, $13,000,000.

(iii) Adjustment percentage As used in clause (i), the term adjustment percentage means, with respect to a State and a fiscal year

(I) the unadjusted net payment to the State for the fiscal year; divided by

(II) the sum of the unadjusted net payments to all States for the fiscal year.

(iv) Unadjusted net payment As used in this subparagraph, the term, unadjusted net payment means with respect to a State and a fiscal year

(I) the total amount paid to the State under paragraph (3) in the fiscal year; minus

(II) the amount that, in the absence of this subparagraph, would be required by subparagraph (A) or by section 609 (a)(10) of this title to be remitted by the State in respect of the payment.

(7) “State” defined
As used in this subsection, the term State means each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia.

(8) Annual reports
The Secretary shall annually report to the Congress on the status of the Fund.

[1] So in original. Probably should be “entities”.
[2] See References in Text note below.
[3] So in original. The period probably should be a semicolon.
[4] So in original. Probably should be “Act”.
[5] So in original.

42 USC 603a - Transferred

42 USC 604 - Use of grants

(a) General rules
Subject to this part, a State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title may use the grant

(1) in any manner that is reasonably calculated to accomplish the purpose of this part, including to provide low income households with assistance in meeting home heating and cooling costs; or

(2) in any manner that the State was authorized to use amounts received under part A or F of this subchapter, as such parts were in effect on September 30, 1995, or (at the option of the State) August 21, 1996.

(b) Limitation on use of grant for administrative purposes

(1) Limitation
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title shall not expend more than 15 percent of the grant for administrative purposes.

(2) Exception
Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the use of a grant for information technology and computerization needed for tracking or monitoring required by or under this part.

(c) Authority to treat interstate immigrants under rules of former State
A State operating a program funded under this part may apply to a family the rules (including benefit amounts) of the program funded under this part of another State if the family has moved to the State from the other State and has resided in the State for less than 12 months.

(d) Authority to use portion of grant for other purposes

(1) In general
Subject to paragraph (2), a State may use not more than 30 percent of the amount of any grant made to the State under section 603 (a) of this title for a fiscal year to carry out a State program pursuant to any or all of the following provisions of law:

(A) Subchapter XX of this chapter.

(B) The Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 [42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.].

(2) Limitation on amount transferable to subchapter XX programs

(A) In general
A State may use not more than the applicable percent of the amount of any grant made to the State under section 603 (a) of this title for a fiscal year to carry out State programs pursuant to subchapter XX of this chapter.

(B) Applicable percent
For purposes of subparagraph (A), the applicable percent is 4.25 percent in the case of fiscal year 2001 and each succeeding fiscal year.

(3) Applicable rules

(A) In general
Except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, any amount paid to a State under this part that is used to carry out a State program pursuant to a provision of law specified in paragraph (1) shall not be subject to the requirements of this part, but shall be subject to the requirements that apply to Federal funds provided directly under the provision of law to carry out the program, and the expenditure of any amount so used shall not be considered to be an expenditure under this part.

(B) Exception relating to subchapter XX programs
All amounts paid to a State under this part that are used to carry out State programs pursuant to subchapter XX of this chapter shall be used only for programs and services to children or their families whose income is less than 200 percent of the income official poverty line (as defined by the Office of Management and Budget, and revised annually in accordance with section 9902 (2) of this title) applicable to a family of the size involved.

(e) Authority to reserve certain amounts for assistance
A State or tribe may reserve amounts paid to the State or tribe under this part for any fiscal year for the purpose of providing, without fiscal year limitation, assistance under the State or tribal program funded under this part.

(f) Authority to operate employment placement program
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title may use the grant to make payments (or provide job placement vouchers) to State-approved public and private job placement agencies that provide employment placement services to individuals who receive assistance under the State program funded under this part.

(g) Implementation of electronic benefit transfer system
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title is encouraged to implement an electronic benefit transfer system for providing assistance under the State program funded under this part, and may use the grant for such purpose.

(h) Use of funds for individual development accounts

(1) In general
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title may use the grant to carry out a program to fund individual development accounts (as defined in paragraph (2)) established by individuals eligible for assistance under the State program funded under this part.

(2) Individual development accounts

(A) Establishment
Under a State program carried out under paragraph (1), an individual development account may be established by or on behalf of an individual eligible for assistance under the State program operated under this part for the purpose of enabling the individual to accumulate funds for a qualified purpose described in subparagraph (B).

(B) Qualified purpose
A qualified purpose described in this subparagraph is 1 or more of the following, as provided by the qualified entity providing assistance to the individual under this subsection:

(i) Postsecondary educational expenses Postsecondary educational expenses paid from an individual development account directly to an eligible educational institution.

(ii) First home purchase Qualified acquisition costs with respect to a qualified principal residence for a qualified first-time homebuyer, if paid from an individual development account directly to the persons to whom the amounts are due.

(iii) Business capitalization Amounts paid from an individual development account directly to a business capitalization account which is established in a federally insured financial institution and is restricted to use solely for qualified business capitalization expenses.

(C) Contributions to be from earned income
An individual may only contribute to an individual development account such amounts as are derived from earned income, as defined in section 911(d)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

(D) Withdrawal of funds
The Secretary shall establish such regulations as may be necessary to ensure that funds held in an individual development account are not withdrawn except for 1 or more of the qualified purposes described in subparagraph (B).

(3) Requirements

(A) In general
An individual development account established under this subsection shall be a trust created or organized in the United States and funded through periodic contributions by the establishing individual and matched by or through a qualified entity for a qualified purpose (as described in paragraph (2)(B)).

(B) “Qualified entity” defined
As used in this subsection, the term qualified entity means

(i) a not-for-profit organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code; or

(ii) a State or local government agency acting in cooperation with an organization described in clause (i).

(4) No reduction in benefits
Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal law (other than the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) that requires consideration of 1 or more financial circumstances of an individual, for the purpose of determining eligibility to receive, or the amount of, any assistance or benefit authorized by such law to be provided to or for the benefit of such individual, funds (including interest accruing) in an individual development account under this subsection shall be disregarded for such purpose with respect to any period during which such individual maintains or makes contributions into such an account.

(5) Definitions
As used in this subsection

(A) Eligible educational institution
The term eligible educational institution means the following:

(i) An institution described in section 1088 (a)(1) or 1141 (a) of title 20, as such sections are in effect on August 22, 1996.

(ii) An area vocational education school (as defined in subparagraph (C) or (D) of section 2471 (4) of title 20) which is in any State (as defined in section 2471 (33) of title 20), as such sections are in effect on August 22, 1996.

(B) Post-secondary educational expenses
The term post-secondary educational expenses means

(i) tuition and fees required for the enrollment or attendance of a student at an eligible educational institution, and

(ii) fees, books, supplies, and equipment required for courses of instruction at an eligible educational institution.

(C) Qualified acquisition costs
The term qualified acquisition costs means the costs of acquiring, constructing, or reconstructing a residence. The term includes any usual or reasonable settlement, financing, or other closing costs.

(D) Qualified business
The term qualified business means any business that does not contravene any law or public policy (as determined by the Secretary).

(E) Qualified business capitalization expenses
The term qualified business capitalization expenses means qualified expenditures for the capitalization of a qualified business pursuant to a qualified plan.

(F) Qualified expenditures
The term qualified expenditures means expenditures included in a qualified plan, including capital, plant, equipment, working capital, and inventory expenses.

(G) Qualified first-time homebuyer

(i) In general The term qualified first-time homebuyer means a taxpayer (and, if married, the taxpayers spouse) who has no present ownership interest in a principal residence during the 3-year period ending on the date of acquisition of the principal residence to which this subsection applies.

(ii) Date of acquisition The term date of acquisition means the date on which a binding contract to acquire, construct, or reconstruct the principal residence to which this subparagraph applies is entered into.

(H) Qualified plan
The term qualified plan means a business plan which

(i) is approved by a financial institution, or by a nonprofit">nonprofit loan fund having demonstrated fiduciary integrity,

(ii) includes a description of services or goods to be sold, a marketing plan, and projected financial statements, and

(iii) may require the eligible individual to obtain the assistance of an experienced entrepreneurial advisor.

(I) Qualified principal residence
The term qualified principal residence means a principal residence (within the meaning of section 1034 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986), the qualified acquisition costs of which do not exceed 100 percent of the average area purchase price applicable to such residence (determined in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 143(e) of such Code).

(i) Sanction welfare recipients for failing to ensure that minor dependent children attend school
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title shall not be prohibited from sanctioning a family that includes an adult who has received assistance under any State program funded under this part attributable to funds provided by the Federal Government or under the food stamp program, as defined in section 2012 (h) of title 7, if such adult fails to ensure that the minor dependent children of such adult attend school as required by the law of the State in which the minor children reside.

(j) Requirement for high school diploma or equivalent
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title shall not be prohibited from sanctioning a family that includes an adult who is older than age 20 and younger than age 51 and who has received assistance under any State program funded under this part attributable to funds provided by the Federal Government or under the food stamp program, as defined in section 2012 (h) of title 7, if such adult does not have, or is not working toward attaining, a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent unless such adult has been determined in the judgment of medical, psychiatric, or other appropriate professionals to lack the requisite capacity to complete successfully a course of study that would lead to a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent.

(k) Limitations on use of grant for matching under certain Federal transportation program

(1) Use limitations
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title may not use any part of the grant to match funds made available under section 3037 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, unless

(A) the grant is used for new or expanded transportation services (and not for construction) that benefit individuals described in subparagraph (C), and not to subsidize current operating costs;

(B) the grant is used to supplement and not supplant other State expenditures on transportation;

(i) recipients of assistance under the State program funded under this part;

(ii) former recipients of such assistance;

(iii) noncustodial parents who are described in section 603 (a)(5)(C)(iii) of this title; and

(iv) low-income individuals who are at risk of qualifying for such assistance; and

(D) the services provided through such use of the grant promote the ability of such recipients to engage in work activities (as defined in section 607 (d) of this title).

(2) Amount limitation
From a grant made to a State under section 603 (a) of this title, the amount that a State uses to match funds described in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall not exceed the amount (if any) by which 30 percent of the total amount of the grant exceeds the amount (if any) of the grant that is used by the State to carry out any State program described in subsection (d)(1) of this section.

(3) Rule of interpretation
The provision by a State of a transportation benefit under a program conducted under section 3037 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, to an individual who is not otherwise a recipient of assistance under the State program funded under this part, using funds from a grant made under section 603 (a) of this title, shall not be considered to be the provision of assistance to the individual under the State program funded under this part.

42 USC 604a - Services provided by charitable, religious, or private organizations

(a) In general

(1) State options
A State may

(A) administer and provide services under the programs described in subparagraphs (A) and (B)(i) of paragraph (2) through contracts with charitable, religious, or private organizations; and

(B) provide beneficiaries of assistance under the programs described in subparagraphs (A) and (B)(ii) of paragraph (2) with certificates, vouchers, or other forms of disbursement which are redeemable with such organizations.

(2) Programs described
The programs described in this paragraph are the following programs:

(A) A State program funded under this part (as amended by section 103(a) of this Act).

(B) Any other program established or modified under title I or II of this Act, that

(i) permits contracts with organizations; or

(ii) permits certificates, vouchers, or other forms of disbursement to be provided to beneficiaries, as a means of providing assistance.

(b) Religious organizations
The purpose of this section is to allow States to contract with religious organizations, or to allow religious organizations to accept certificates, vouchers, or other forms of disbursement under any program described in subsection (a)(2) of this section, on the same basis as any other nongovernmental provider without impairing the religious character of such organizations, and without diminishing the religious freedom of beneficiaries of assistance funded under such program.

(c) Nondiscrimination against religious organizations
In the event a State exercises its authority under subsection (a) of this section, religious organizations are eligible, on the same basis as any other private organization, as contractors to provide assistance, or to accept certificates, vouchers, or other forms of disbursement, under any program described in subsection (a)(2) of this section so long as the programs are implemented consistent with the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution. Except as provided in subsection (k) of this section, neither the Federal Government nor a State receiving funds under such programs shall discriminate against an organization which is or applies to be a contractor to provide assistance, or which accepts certificates, vouchers, or other forms of disbursement, on the basis that the organization has a religious character.

(d) Religious character and freedom

(1) Religious organizations
A religious organization with a contract described in subsection (a)(1)(A) of this section, or which accepts certificates, vouchers, or other forms of disbursement under subsection (a)(1)(B) of this section, shall retain its independence from Federal, State, and local governments, including such organizations control over the definition, development, practice, and expression of its religious beliefs.

(2) Additional safeguards
Neither the Federal Government nor a State shall require a religious organization to

(A) alter its form of internal governance; or

(B) remove religious art, icons, scripture, or other symbols;

in order to be eligible to contract to provide assistance, or to accept certificates, vouchers, or other forms of disbursement, funded under a program described in subsection (a)(2) of this section.

(e) Rights of beneficiaries of assistance

(1) In general
If an individual described in paragraph (2) has an objection to the religious character of the organization or institution from which the individual receives, or would receive, assistance funded under any program described in subsection (a)(2) of this section, the State in which the individual resides shall provide such individual (if otherwise eligible for such assistance) within a reasonable period of time after the date of such objection with assistance from an alternative provider that is accessible to the individual and the value of which is not less than the value of the assistance which the individual would have received from such organization.

(2) Individual described
An individual described in this paragraph is an individual who receives, applies for, or requests to apply for, assistance under a program described in subsection (a)(2) of this section.

(f) Employment practices
A religious organizations exemption provided under section 2000e–1 of this title regarding employment practices shall not be affected by its participation in, or receipt of funds from, programs described in subsection (a)(2) of this section.

(g) Nondiscrimination against beneficiaries
Except as otherwise provided in law, a religious organization shall not discriminate against an individual in regard to rendering assistance funded under any program described in subsection (a)(2) of this section on the basis of religion, a religious belief, or refusal to actively participate in a religious practice.

(h) Fiscal accountability

(1) In general
Except as provided in paragraph (2), any religious organization contracting to provide assistance funded under any program described in subsection (a)(2) of this section shall be subject to the same regulations as other contractors to account in accord with generally accepted auditing principles for the use of such funds provided under such programs.

(2) Limited audit
If such organization segregates Federal funds provided under such programs into separate accounts, then only the financial assistance provided with such funds shall be subject to audit.

(i) Compliance
Any party which seeks to enforce its rights under this section may assert a civil action for injunctive relief exclusively in an appropriate State court against the entity or agency that allegedly commits such violation.

(j) Limitations on use of funds for certain purposes
No funds provided directly to institutions or organizations to provide services and administer programs under subsection (a)(1)(A) of this section shall be expended for sectarian worship, instruction, or proselytization.

(k) Preemption
Nothing in this section shall be construed to preempt any provision of a State constitution or State statute that prohibits or restricts the expenditure of State funds in or by religious organizations.

42 USC 605 - Administrative provisions

(a) Quarterly
The Secretary shall pay each grant payable to a State under section 603 of this title in quarterly installments, subject to this section.

(b) Notification
Not later than 3 months before the payment of any such quarterly installment to a State, the Secretary shall notify the State of the amount of any reduction determined under section 612 (a)(1)(B) of this title with respect to the State.

(1) Computation
The Secretary shall estimate the amount to be paid to each eligible State for each quarter under this part, such estimate to be based on a report filed by the State containing an estimate by the State of the total sum to be expended by the State in the quarter under the State program funded under this part and such other information as the Secretary may find necessary.

(2) Certification
The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall certify to the Secretary of the Treasury the amount estimated under paragraph (1) with respect to a State, reduced or increased to the extent of any overpayment or underpayment which the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines was made under this part to the State for any prior quarter and with respect to which adjustment has not been made under this paragraph.

(d) Payment method
Upon receipt of a certification under subsection (c)(2) of this section with respect to a State, the Secretary of the Treasury shall, through the Fiscal Service of the Department of the Treasury and before audit or settlement by the Government Accountability Office, pay to the State, at the time or times fixed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the amount so certified.

42 USC 606 - Federal loans for State welfare programs

(a) Loan authority

(1) In general
The Secretary shall make loans to any loan-eligible State, for a period to maturity of not more than 3 years.

(2) Loan-eligible State
As used in paragraph (1), the term loan-eligible State means a State against which a penalty has not been imposed under section 609 (a)(1) of this title.

(b) Rate of interest
The Secretary shall charge and collect interest on any loan made under this section at a rate equal to the current average market yield on outstanding marketable obligations of the United States with remaining periods to maturity comparable to the period to maturity of the loan.

(c) Use of loan
A State shall use a loan made to the State under this section only for any purpose for which grant amounts received by the State under section 603 (a) of this title may be used, including

(1) welfare anti-fraud activities; and

(2) the provision of assistance under the State program to Indian families that have moved from the service area of an Indian tribe with a tribal family assistance plan approved under section 612 of this title.

(d) Limitation on total amount of loans to State
The cumulative dollar amount of all loans made to a State under this section during fiscal years 1997 through 2003 shall not exceed 10 percent of the State family assistance grant.

(e) Limitation on total amount of outstanding loans
The total dollar amount of loans outstanding under this section may not exceed $1,700,000,000.

(f) Appropriation
Out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated such sums as may be necessary for the cost of loans under this section.

42 USC 607 - Mandatory work requirements

(a) Participation rate requirements

(1) All families
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title for a fiscal year shall achieve the minimum participation rate specified in the following table for the fiscal year with respect to all families receiving assistance under the State program funded under this part or any other State program funded with qualified State expenditures (as defined in section 609 (a)(7)(B)(i) of this title):

(2) 2-parent families
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title for a fiscal year shall achieve the minimum participation rate specified in the following table for the fiscal year with respect to 2-parent families receiving assistance under the State program funded under this part or any other State program funded with qualified State expenditures (as defined in section 609 (a)(7)(B)(i) of this title):

(b) Calculation of participation rates

(1) All families

(A) Average monthly rate
For purposes of subsection (a)(1) of this section, the participation rate for all families of a State for a fiscal year is the average of the participation rates for all families of the State for each month in the fiscal year.

(B) Monthly participation rates
The participation rate of a State for all families of the State for a month, expressed as a percentage, is

(i) the number of families receiving assistance under the State program funded under this part or any other State program funded with qualified State expenditures (as defined in section 609 (a)(7)(B)(i) of this title) that include an adult or a minor child head of household who is engaged in work for the month; divided by

(ii) the amount by which

(I) the number of families receiving such assistance during the month that include an adult or a minor child head of household receiving such assistance; exceeds

(II) the number of families receiving such assistance that are subject in such month to a penalty described in subsection (e)(1) of this section but have not been subject to such penalty for more than 3 months within the preceding 12-month period (whether or not consecutive).

(2) 2-parent families

(A) Average monthly rate
For purposes of subsection (a)(2) of this section, the participation rate for 2-parent families of a State for a fiscal year is the average of the participation rates for 2-parent families of the State for each month in the fiscal year.

(B) Monthly participation rates
The participation rate of a State for 2-parent families of the State for a month shall be calculated by use of the formula set forth in paragraph (1)(B), except that in the formula the term number of 2-parent families shall be substituted for the term number of families each place such latter term appears.

(C) Family with a disabled parent not treated as a 2-parent family
A family that includes a disabled parent shall not be considered a 2-parent family for purposes of subsections (a) and (b) of this section.

(3) Pro rata reduction of participation rate due to caseload reductions not required by Federal law and not resulting from changes in State eligibility criteria

(A) In general
The Secretary shall prescribe regulations for reducing the minimum participation rate otherwise required by this section for a fiscal year by the number of percentage points equal to the number of percentage points (if any) by which

(i) the average monthly number of families receiving assistance during the immediately preceding fiscal year under the State program funded under this part or any other State program funded with qualified State expenditures (as defined in section 609 (a)(7)(B)(i) of this title) is less than

(ii) the average monthly number of families that received assistance under any State program referred to in clause (i) during fiscal year 2005.

The minimum participation rate shall not be reduced to the extent that the Secretary determines that the reduction in the number of families receiving such assistance is required by Federal law.

(B) Eligibility changes not counted
The regulations required by subparagraph (A) shall not take into account families that are diverted from a State program funded under this part as a result of differences in eligibility criteria under a State program funded under this part and the eligibility criteria in effect during fiscal year 2005. Such regulations shall place the burden on the Secretary to prove that such families were diverted as a direct result of differences in such eligibility criteria.

(4) State option to include individuals receiving assistance under a tribal family assistance plan or tribal work program
For purposes of paragraphs (1)(B) and (2)(B), a State may, at its option, include families in the State that are receiving assistance under a tribal family assistance plan approved under section 612 of this title or under a tribal work program to which funds are provided under this part.

(5) State option for participation requirement exemptions
For any fiscal year, a State may, at its option, not require an individual who is a single custodial parent caring for a child who has not attained 12 months of age to engage in work, and may disregard such an individual in determining the participation rates under subsection (a) of this section for not more than 12 months.

(1) General rules

(A) All families
For purposes of subsection (b)(1)(B)(i) of this section, a recipient is engaged in work for a month in a fiscal year if the recipient is participating in work activities for at least the minimum average number of hours per week specified in the following table during the month, not fewer than 20 hours per week of which are attributable to an activity described in paragraph (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), or (12) of subsection (d) of this section, subject to this subsection: The minimum If the month is average number of in fiscal year: hours per week is: 1997 20 1998 20 1999 25 2000 or thereafter 30.

(B) 2-parent families
For purposes of subsection (b)(2)(B) of this section, an individual is engaged in work for a month in a fiscal year if

(i) the individual and the other parent in the family are participating in work activities for a total of at least 35 hours per week during the month, not fewer than 30 hours per week of which are attributable to an activity described in paragraph (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), or (12) of subsection (d) of this section, subject to this subsection; and

(ii) if the family of the individual receives federally-funded child care assistance and an adult in the family is not disabled or caring for a severely disabled child, the individual and the other parent in the family are participating in work activities for a total of at least 55 hours per week during the month, not fewer than 50 hours per week of which are attributable to an activity described in paragraph (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), or (12) of subsection (d) of this section.

(2) Limitations and special rules

(A) Number of weeks for which job search counts as work

(i) Limitation Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, an individual shall not be considered to be engaged in work by virtue of participation in an activity described in subsection (d)(6) of this section of a State program funded under this part or any other State program funded with qualified State expenditures (as defined in section 609 (a)(7)(B)(i) of this title), after the individual has participated in such an activity for 6 weeks (or, if the unemployment rate of the State is at least 50 percent greater than the unemployment rate of the United States or the State is a needy State (within the meaning of section 603 (b)(6) of this title), 12 weeks), or if the participation is for a week that immediately follows 4 consecutive weeks of such participation.

(ii) Limited authority to count less than full week of participation For purposes of clause (i) of this subparagraph, on not more than 1 occasion per individual, the State shall consider participation of the individual in an activity described in subsection (d)(6) of this section for 3 or 4 days during a week as a week of participation in the activity by the individual.

(B) Single parent or relative with child under age 6 deemed to be meeting work participation requirements if parent or relative is engaged in work for 20 hours per week
For purposes of determining monthly participation rates under subsection (b)(1)(B)(i) of this section, a recipient who is the only parent or caretaker relative in the family of a child who has not attained 6 years of age is deemed to be engaged in work for a month if the recipient is engaged in work for an average of at least 20 hours per week during the month.

(C) Single teen head of household or married teen who maintains satisfactory school attendance deemed to be meeting work participation requirements
For purposes of determining monthly participation rates under subsection (b)(1)(B)(i) of this section, a recipient who is married or a head of household and has not attained 20 years of age is deemed to be engaged in work for a month in a fiscal year if the recipient

(i) maintains satisfactory attendance at secondary school or the equivalent during the month; or

(ii) participates in education directly related to employment for an average of at least 20 hours per week during the month.

(D) Limitation on number of persons who may be treated as engaged in work by reason of participation in educational activities
For purposes of determining monthly participation rates under paragraphs (1)(B)(i) and (2)(B) of subsection (b) of this section, not more than 30 percent of the number of individuals in all families and in 2-parent families, respectively, in a State who are treated as engaged in work for a month may consist of individuals who are determined to be engaged in work for the month by reason of participation in vocational educational training, or (if the month is in fiscal year 2000 or thereafter) deemed to be engaged in work for the month by reason of subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.

(d) “Work activities” defined
As used in this section, the term work activities means

(1) unsubsidized employment;

(2) subsidized private sector employment;

(3) subsidized public sector employment;

(4) work experience (including work associated with the refurbishing of publicly assisted housing) if sufficient private sector employment is not available;

(5) on-the-job training;

(6) job search and job readiness assistance;

(7) community service programs;

(8) vocational educational training (not to exceed 12 months with respect to any individual);

(9) job skills training directly related to employment;

(10) education directly related to employment, in the case of a recipient who has not received a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency;

(11) satisfactory attendance at secondary school or in a course of study leading to a certificate of general equivalence, in the case of a recipient who has not completed secondary school or received such a certificate; and

(12) the provision of child care services to an individual who is participating in a community service program.

(e) Penalties against individuals

(1) In general
Except as provided in paragraph (2), if an individual in a family receiving assistance under the State program funded under this part or any other State program funded with qualified State expenditures (as defined in section 609 (a)(7)(B)(i) of this title) refuses to engage in work required in accordance with this section, the State shall

(A) reduce the amount of assistance otherwise payable to the family pro rata (or more, at the option of the State) with respect to any period during a month in which the individual so refuses; or

(B) terminate such assistance,

subject to such good cause and other exceptions as the State may establish.

(2) Exception
Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a State may not reduce or terminate assistance under the State program funded under this part or any other State program funded with qualified State expenditures (as defined in section 609 (a)(7)(B)(i) of this title) based on a refusal of an individual to engage in work required in accordance with this section if the individual is a single custodial parent caring for a child who has not attained 6 years of age, and the individual proves that the individual has a demonstrated inability (as determined by the State) to obtain needed child care, for 1 or more of the following reasons:

(A) Unavailability of appropriate child care within a reasonable distance from the individuals home or work site.

(B) Unavailability or unsuitability of informal child care by a relative or under other arrangements.

(f) Nondisplacement in work activities

(1) In general
Subject to paragraph (2), an adult in a family receiving assistance under a State program funded under this part attributable to funds provided by the Federal Government may fill a vacant employment position in order to engage in a work activity described in subsection (d) of this section.

(2) No filling of certain vacancies
No adult in a work activity described in subsection (d) of this section which is funded, in whole or in part, by funds provided by the Federal Government shall be employed or assigned

(A) when any other individual is on layoff from the same or any substantially equivalent job; or

(B) if the employer has terminated the employment of any regular employee or otherwise caused an involuntary reduction of its workforce in order to fill the vacancy so created with an adult described in paragraph (1).

(3) Grievance procedure
A State with a program funded under this part shall establish and maintain a grievance procedure for resolving complaints of alleged violations of paragraph (2).

(4) No preemption
Nothing in this subsection shall preempt or supersede any provision of State or local law that provides greater protection for employees from displacement.

(g) Sense of Congress
It is the sense of the Congress that in complying with this section, each State that operates a program funded under this part is encouraged to assign the highest priority to requiring adults in 2-parent families and adults in single-parent families that include older preschool or school-age children to be engaged in work activities.

(h) Sense of Congress that States should impose certain requirements on noncustodial, nonsupporting minor parents
It is the sense of the Congress that the States should require noncustodial, nonsupporting parents who have not attained 18 years of age to fulfill community work obligations and attend appropriate parenting or money management classes after school.

(i) Verification of work and work-eligible individuals in order to implement reforms

(1) Secretarial direction and oversight

(A) Regulations for determining whether activities may be counted as “work activities”, how to count and verify reported hours of work, and determining who is a work-eligible individual

(i) In general Not later than June 30, 2006, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations to ensure consistent measurement of work participation rates under State programs funded under this part and State programs funded with qualified State expenditures (as defined in section 609 (a)(7)(B)(i) of this title), which shall include information with respect to

(I) determining whether an activity of a recipient of assistance may be treated as a work activity under subsection (d);

(II) uniform methods for reporting hours of work by a recipient of assistance;

(III) the type of documentation needed to verify reported hours of work by a recipient of assistance; and

(IV) the circumstances under which a parent who resides with a child who is a recipient of assistance should be included in the work participation rates.

(ii) Issuance of regulations on an interim final basis The regulations referred to in clause (i) may be effective and final immediately on an interim basis as of the date of publication of the regulations. If the Secretary provides for an interim final regulation, the Secretary shall provide for a period of public comment on the regulation after the date of publication. The Secretary may change or revise the regulation after the public comment period.

(B) Oversight of State procedures
The Secretary shall review the State procedures established in accordance with paragraph (2) to ensure that such procedures are consistent with the regulations promulgated under subparagraph (A) and are adequate to ensure an accurate measurement of work participation under the State programs funded under this part and any other State programs funded with qualified State expenditures (as so defined).

(2) Requirement for States to establish and maintain work participation verification procedures
Not later than September 30, 2006, a State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title shall establish procedures for determining, with respect to recipients of assistance under the State program funded under this part or under any State programs funded with qualified State expenditures (as so defined), whether activities may be counted as work activities, how to count and verify reported hours of work, and who is a work-eligible individual, in accordance with the regulations promulgated pursuant to paragraph (1)(A)(i) and shall establish internal controls to ensure compliance with the procedures.

42 USC 608 - Prohibitions; requirements

(a) In general

(1) No assistance for families without a minor child
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title shall not use any part of the grant to provide assistance to a family, unless the family includes a minor child who resides with the family (consistent with paragraph (10)) or a pregnant individual.

(2) Reduction or elimination of assistance for noncooperation in establishing paternity or obtaining child support
If the agency responsible for administering the State plan approved under part D of this subchapter determines that an individual is not cooperating with the State in establishing paternity or in establishing, modifying, or enforcing a support order with respect to a child of the individual, and the individual does not qualify for any good cause or other exception established by the State pursuant to section 654 (29) of this title, then the State

(A) shall deduct from the assistance that would otherwise be provided to the family of the individual under the State program funded under this part an amount equal to not less than 25 percent of the amount of such assistance; and

(B) may deny the family any assistance under the State program.

(3) No assistance for families not assigning certain support rights to the State

(A) In general
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title shall require, as a condition of providing assistance to a family under the State program funded under this part, that a member of the family assign to the State any rights the family member may have (on behalf of the family member or of any other person for whom the family member has applied for or is receiving such assistance) to support from any other person, not exceeding the total amount of assistance so provided to the family, which accrue (or have accrued) before the date the family ceases to receive assistance under the program, which assignment, on and after such date, shall not apply with respect to any support (other than support collected pursuant to section 664 of this title) which accrued before the family received such assistance and which the State has not collected by

(i)

(I) September 30, 2000, if the assignment is executed on or after October 1, 1997, and before October 1, 2000; or

(II) the date the family ceases to receive assistance under the program, if the assignment is executed on or after October 1, 2000; or

(ii) if the State elects to distribute collections under section 657 (a)(6) of this title, the date the family ceases to receive assistance under the program, if the assignment is executed on or after October 1, 1998.

(B) Limitation
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title shall not require, as a condition of providing assistance to any family under the State program funded under this part, that a member of the family assign to the State any rights to support described in subparagraph (A) which accrue after the date the family ceases to receive assistance under the program.

(4) No assistance for teenage parents who do not attend high school or other equivalent training program
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title shall not use any part of the grant to provide assistance to an individual who has not attained 18 years of age, is not married, has a minor child at least 12 weeks of age in his or her care, and has not successfully completed a high-school education (or its equivalent), if the individual does not participate in

(A) educational activities directed toward the attainment of a high school diploma or its equivalent; or

(B) an alternative educational or training program that has been approved by the State.

(5) No assistance for teenage parents not living in adult-supervised settings

(A) In general

(i) Requirement Except as provided in subparagraph (B), a State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title shall not use any part of the grant to provide assistance to an individual described in clause (ii) of this subparagraph if the individual and the minor child referred to in clause (ii)(II) do not reside in a place of residence maintained by a parent, legal guardian, or other adult relative of the individual as such parents, guardians, or adult relatives own home.

(ii) Individual described For purposes of clause (i), an individual described in this clause is an individual who

(I) has not attained 18 years of age; and

(II) is not married, and has a minor child in his or her care.

(B) Exception

(i) Provision of, or assistance in locating, adult-supervised living arrangement In the case of an individual who is described in clause (ii), the State agency referred to in section 602 (a)(4) of this title shall provide, or assist the individual in locating, a second chance home, maternity home, or other appropriate adult-supervised supportive living arrangement, taking into consideration the needs and concerns of the individual, unless the State agency determines that the individuals current living arrangement is appropriate, and thereafter shall require that the individual and the minor child referred to in subparagraph (A)(ii)(II) reside in such living arrangement as a condition of the continued receipt of assistance under the State program funded under this part attributable to funds provided by the Federal Government (or in an alternative appropriate arrangement, should circumstances change and the current arrangement cease to be appropriate).

(ii) Individual described For purposes of clause (i), an individual is described in this clause if the individual is described in subparagraph (A)(ii), and

(I) the individual has no parent, legal guardian, or other appropriate adult relative described in subclause (II) of his or her own who is living or whose whereabouts are known;

(II) no living parent, legal guardian, or other appropriate adult relative, who would otherwise meet applicable State criteria to act as the individuals legal guardian, of such individual allows the individual to live in the home of such parent, guardian, or relative;

(III) the State agency determines that

(aa) the individual or the minor child referred to in subparagraph (A)(ii)(II) is being or has been subjected to serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation in the residence of the individuals own parent or legal guardian; or

(bb) substantial evidence exists of an act or failure to act that presents an imminent or serious harm if the individual and the minor child lived in the same residence with the individuals own parent or legal guardian; or

(IV) the State agency otherwise determines that it is in the best interest of the minor child to waive the requirement of subparagraph (A) with respect to the individual or the minor child.

(iii) Second-chance home For purposes of this subparagraph, the term second-chance home means an entity that provides individuals described in clause (ii) with a supportive and supervised living arrangement in which such individuals are required to learn parenting skills, including child development, family budgeting, health and nutrition, and other skills to promote their long-term economic independence and the well-being of their children.

(6) No medical services

(A) In general
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title shall not use any part of the grant to provide medical services.

(B) Exception for prepregnancy family planning services
As used in subparagraph (A), the term medical services does not include prepregnancy family planning services.

(7) No assistance for more than 5 years

(A) In general
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title shall not use any part of the grant to provide assistance to a family that includes an adult who has received assistance under any State program funded under this part attributable to funds provided by the Federal Government, for 60 months (whether or not consecutive) after the date the State program funded under this part commences, subject to this paragraph.

(B) Minor child exception
In determining the number of months for which an individual who is a parent or pregnant has received assistance under the State program funded under this part, the State shall disregard any month for which such assistance was provided with respect to the individual and during which the individual was

(i) a minor child; and

(ii) not the head of a household or married to the head of a household.

(i) In general The State may exempt a family from the application of subparagraph (A) by reason of hardship or if the family includes an individual who has been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty.

(ii) Limitation The average monthly number of families with respect to which an exemption made by a State under clause (i) is in effect for a fiscal year shall not exceed 20 percent of the average monthly number of families to which assistance is provided under the State program funded under this part during the fiscal year or the immediately preceding fiscal year (but not both), as the State may elect.

(iii) Battered or subject to extreme cruelty defined For purposes of clause (i), an individual has been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty if the individual has been subjected to

(I) physical acts that resulted in, or threatened to result in, physical injury to the individual;

(II) sexual abuse;

(III) sexual activity involving a dependent child;

(IV) being forced as the caretaker relative of a dependent child to engage in nonconsensual sexual acts or activities;

(V) threats of, or attempts at, physical or sexual abuse;

(VI) mental abuse; or

(VII) neglect or deprivation of medical care.

(D) Disregard of months of assistance received by adult while living in Indian country or an Alaskan Native village with 50 percent unemployment

(i) In general In determining the number of months for which an adult has received assistance under a State or tribal program funded under this part, the State or tribe shall disregard any month during which the adult lived in Indian country or an Alaskan Native village if the most reliable data available with respect to the month (or a period including the month) indicate that at least 50 percent of the adults living in Indian country or in the village were not employed.

(ii) Indian country defined As used in clause (i), the term Indian country has the meaning given such term in section 1151 of title 18.

(E) Rule of interpretation
Subparagraph (A) shall not be interpreted to require any State to provide assistance to any individual for any period of time under the State program funded under this part.

(F) Rule of interpretation
This part shall not be interpreted to prohibit any State from expending State funds not originating with the Federal Government on benefits for children or families that have become ineligible for assistance under the State program funded under this part by reason of subparagraph (A).

(G) Inapplicability to welfare-to-work grants and assistance
For purposes of subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, a grant made under section 603 (a)(5) of this title shall not be considered a grant made under section 603 of this title, and noncash assistance from funds provided under section 603 (a)(5) of this title shall not be considered assistance.

(8) Denial of assistance for 10 years to a person found to have fraudulently misrepresented residence in order to obtain assistance in 2 or more States
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title shall not use any part of the grant to provide cash assistance to an individual during the 10-year period that begins on the date the individual is convicted in Federal or State court of having made a fraudulent statement or representation with respect to the place of residence of the individual in order to receive assistance simultaneously from 2 or more States under programs that are funded under this subchapter, subchapter XIX of this chapter, or the Food Stamp Act of 1977 [7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.], or benefits in 2 or more States under the supplemental security income program under subchapter XVI of this chapter. The preceding sentence shall not apply with respect to a conviction of an individual, for any month beginning after the President of the United States grants a pardon with respect to the conduct which was the subject of the conviction.

(9) Denial of assistance for fugitive felons and probation and parole violators

(A) In general
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title shall not use any part of the grant to provide assistance to any individual who is

(i) fleeing to avoid prosecution, or custody or confinement after conviction, under the laws of the place from which the individual flees, for a crime, or an attempt to commit a crime, which is a felony under the laws of the place from which the individual flees, or which, in the case of the State of New Jersey, is a high misdemeanor under the laws of such State; or

(ii) violating a condition of probation or parole imposed under Federal or State law.

The preceding sentence shall not apply with respect to conduct of an individual, for any month beginning after the President of the United States grants a pardon with respect to the conduct.

(B) Exchange of information with law enforcement agencies
If a State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title establishes safeguards against the use or disclosure of information about applicants or recipients of assistance under the State program funded under this part, the safeguards shall not prevent the State agency administering the program from furnishing a Federal, State, or local law enforcement officer, upon the request of the officer, with the current address of any recipient if the officer furnishes the agency with the name of the recipient and notifies the agency that

(i) the recipient

(I) is described in subparagraph (A); or

(II) has information that is necessary for the officer to conduct the official duties of the officer; and

(ii) the location or apprehension of the recipient is within such official duties.

(10) Denial of assistance for minor children who are absent from the home for a significant period

(A) In general
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title shall not use any part of the grant to provide assistance for a minor child who has been, or is expected by a parent (or other caretaker relative) of the child to be, absent from the home for a period of 45 consecutive days or, at the option of the State, such period of not less than 30 and not more than 180 consecutive days as the State may provide for in the State plan submitted pursuant to section 602 of this title.

(B) State authority to establish good cause exceptions
The State may establish such good cause exceptions to subparagraph (A) as the State considers appropriate if such exceptions are provided for in the State plan submitted pursuant to section 602 of this title.

(C) Denial of assistance for relative who fails to notify State agency of absence of child
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title shall not use any part of the grant to provide assistance for an individual who is a parent (or other caretaker relative) of a minor child and who fails to notify the agency administering the State program funded under this part of the absence of the minor child from the home for the period specified in or provided for pursuant to subparagraph (A), by the end of the 5-day period that begins with the date that it becomes clear to the parent (or relative) that the minor child will be absent for such period so specified or provided for.

(11) Medical assistance required to be provided for certain families having earnings from employment or child support

(A) Earnings from employment
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title and which has a State plan approved under subchapter XIX of this chapter shall provide that in the case of a family that is treated (under section 1396u–1 (b)(1)(A) of this title for purposes of subchapter XIX of this chapter) as receiving aid under a State plan approved under this part (as in effect on July 16, 1996), that would become ineligible for such aid because of hours of or income from employment of the caretaker relative (as defined under this part as in effect on such date) or because of section 602 (a)(8)(B)(ii)(II) of this title (as so in effect), and that was so treated as receiving such aid in at least 3 of the 6 months immediately preceding the month in which such ineligibility begins, the family shall remain eligible for medical assistance under the States plan approved under subchapter XIX of this chapter for an extended period or periods as provided in section 1396r–6 or 1396a (e)(1) of this title (as applicable), and that the family will be appropriately notified of such extension as required by section 1396r–6 (a)(2) of this title.

(B) Child support
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title and which has a State plan approved under subchapter XIX of this chapter shall provide that in the case of a family that is treated (under section 1396u–1 (b)(1)(A) of this title for purposes of subchapter XIX of this chapter) as receiving aid under a State plan approved under this part (as in effect on July 16, 1996), that would become ineligible for such aid as a result (wholly or partly) of the collection of child or spousal support under part D of this subchapter and that was so treated as receiving such aid in at least 3 of the 6 months immediately preceding the month in which such ineligibility begins, the family shall remain eligible for medical assistance under the States plan approved under subchapter XIX of this chapter for an extended period or periods as provided in section 1396u–1 (c)(1) of this title.

(b) Individual responsibility plans

(1) Assessment
The State agency responsible for administering the State program funded under this part shall make an initial assessment of the skills, prior work experience, and employability of each recipient of assistance under the program who

(A) has attained 18 years of age; or

(B) has not completed high school or obtained a certificate of high school equivalency, and is not attending secondary school.

(2) Contents of plans

(A) In general
On the basis of the assessment made under subsection (a) of this section with respect to an individual, the State agency, in consultation with the individual, may develop an individual responsibility plan for the individual, which

(i) sets forth an employment goal for the individual and a plan for moving the individual immediately into private sector employment;

(ii) sets forth the obligations of the individual, which may include a requirement that the individual attend school, maintain certain grades and attendance, keep school age children of the individual in school, immunize children, attend parenting and money management classes, or do other things that will help the individual become and remain employed in the private sector;

(iii) to the greatest extent possible is designed to move the individual into whatever private sector employment the individual is capable of handling as quickly as possible, and to increase the responsibility and amount of work the individual is to handle over time;

(iv) describes the services the State will provide the individual so that the individual will be able to obtain and keep employment in the private sector, and describe the job counseling and other services that will be provided by the State; and

(v) may require the individual to undergo appropriate substance abuse treatment.

(B) Timing
The State agency may comply with paragraph (1) with respect to an individual

(i) within 90 days (or, at the option of the State, 180 days) after the effective date of this part, in the case of an individual who, as of such effective date, is a recipient of aid under the State plan approved under part A of this subchapter (as in effect immediately before such effective date); or

(ii) within 30 days (or, at the option of the State, 90 days) after the individual is determined to be eligible for such assistance, in the case of any other individual.

(3) Penalty for noncompliance by individual
In addition to any other penalties required under the State program funded under this part, the State may reduce, by such amount as the State considers appropriate, the amount of assistance otherwise payable under the State program to a family that includes an individual who fails without good cause to comply with an individual responsibility plan signed by the individual.

(4) State discretion
The exercise of the authority of this subsection shall be within the sole discretion of the State.

(c) Sanctions against recipients not considered wage reductions
A penalty imposed by a State against the family of an individual by reason of the failure of the individual to comply with a requirement under the State program funded under this part shall not be construed to be a reduction in any wage paid to the individual.

(d) Nondiscrimination provisions
The following provisions of law shall apply to any program or activity which receives funds provided under this part:

(1) The Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. 6101 et seq.).

(2) Section 794 of title 29.

(3) The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.).

(4) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.).

(e) Special rules relating to treatment of certain aliens
For special rules relating to the treatment of certain aliens, see title IV of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 [8 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.].

(f) Special rules relating to treatment of non-213A aliens
The following rules shall apply if a State elects to take the income or resources of any sponsor of a non-213A alien into account in determining whether the alien is eligible for assistance under the State program funded under this part, or in determining the amount or types of such assistance to be provided to the alien:

(1) Deeming of sponsor’s income and resources
For a period of 3 years after a non-213A alien enters the United States:

(A) Income deeming rule
The income of any sponsor of the alien and of any spouse of the sponsor is deemed to be income of the alien, to the extent that the total amount of the income exceeds the sum of

(i) the lesser of

(I) 20 percent of the total of any amounts received by the sponsor or any such spouse in the month as wages or salary or as net earnings from self-employment, plus the full amount of any costs incurred by the sponsor and any such spouse in producing self-employment income in such month; or

(II) $175;

(ii) the cash needs standard established by the State for purposes of determining eligibility for assistance under the State program funded under this part for a family of the same size and composition as the sponsor and any other individuals living in the same household as the sponsor who are claimed by the sponsor as dependents for purposes of determining the sponsors Federal personal income tax liability but whose needs are not taken into account in determining whether the sponsors family has met the cash needs standard;

(iii) any amounts paid by the sponsor or any such spouse to individuals not living in the household who are claimed by the sponsor as dependents for purposes of determining the sponsors Federal personal income tax liability; and

(iv) any payments of alimony or child support with respect to individuals not living in the household.

(B) Resource deeming rule
The resources of a sponsor of the alien and of any spouse of the sponsor are deemed to be resources of the alien to the extent that the aggregate value of the resources exceeds $1,500.

(C) Sponsors of multiple non-213A aliens
If a person is a sponsor of 2 or more non-213A aliens who are living in the same home, the income and resources of the sponsor and any spouse of the sponsor that would be deemed income and resources of any such alien under subparagraph (A) shall be divided into a number of equal shares equal to the number of such aliens, and the State shall deem the income and resources of each such alien to include 1 such share.

(2) Ineligibility of non-213A aliens sponsored by agencies; exception
A non-213A alien whose sponsor is or was a public or private agency shall be ineligible for assistance under a State program funded under this part, during a period of 3 years after the alien enters the United States, unless the State agency administering the program determines that the sponsor either no longer exists or has become unable to meet the aliens needs.

(3) Information provisions

(A) Duties of non-213A aliens
A non-213A alien, as a condition of eligibility for assistance under a State program funded under this part during the period of 3 years after the alien enters the United States, shall be required to provide to the State agency administering the program

(i) such information and documentation with respect to the aliens sponsor as may be necessary in order for the State agency to make any determination required under this subsection, and to obtain any cooperation from the sponsor necessary for any such determination; and

(ii) such information and documentation as the State agency may request and which the alien or the aliens sponsor provided in support of the aliens immigration application.

(B) Duties of Federal agencies
The Secretary shall enter into agreements with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General under which any information available to them and required in order to make any determination under this subsection will be provided by them to the Secretary (who may, in turn, make the information available, upon request, to a concerned State agency).

(4) “Non-213A alien” defined
An alien is a non-213A alien for purposes of this subsection if the affidavit of support or similar agreement with respect to the alien that was executed by the sponsor of the aliens entry into the United States was executed other than pursuant to section 213A of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1183a].

(5) Inapplicability to alien minor sponsored by a parent
This subsection shall not apply to an alien who is a minor child if the sponsor of the alien or any spouse of the sponsor is a parent of the alien.

(6) Inapplicability to certain categories of aliens
This subsection shall not apply to an alien who is

(A) admitted to the United States as a refugee under section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1157];

(B) paroled into the United States under section 212(d)(5) of such Act [8 U.S.C. 1182 (d)(5)] for a period of at least 1 year; or

(g) State required to provide certain information
Each State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title shall, at least 4 times annually and upon request of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, furnish the Immigration and Naturalization Service with the name and address of, and other identifying information on, any individual who the State knows is not lawfully present in the United States.

42 USC 608a - Fraud under means-tested welfare and public assistance programs

(a) In general
If an individuals benefits under a Federal, State, or local law relating to a means-tested welfare or a public assistance program are reduced because of an act of fraud by the individual under the law or program, the individual may not, for the duration of the reduction, receive an increased benefit under any other means-tested welfare or public assistance program for which Federal funds are appropriated as a result of a decrease in the income of the individual (determined under the applicable program) attributable to such reduction.

(b) Welfare or public assistance programs for which Federal funds are appropriated
For purposes of subsection (a) of this section, the term means-tested welfare or public assistance program for which Federal funds are appropriated includes the food stamp program under the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), any program of public or assisted housing under title I of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.), and any State program funded under this part.

42 USC 609 - Penalties

(a) In general
Subject to this section:

(1) Use of grant in violation of this part

(A) General penalty
If an audit conducted under chapter 75 of title 31 finds that an amount paid to a State under section 603 of this title for a fiscal year has been used in violation of this part, the Secretary shall reduce the grant payable to the State under section 603 (a)(1) of this title for the immediately succeeding fiscal year quarter by the amount so used.

(B) Enhanced penalty for intentional violations
If the State does not prove to the satisfaction of the Secretary that the State did not intend to use the amount in violation of this part, the Secretary shall further reduce the grant payable to the State under section 603 (a)(1) of this title for the immediately succeeding fiscal year quarter by an amount equal to 5 percent of the State family assistance grant.

(C) Penalty for misuse of competitive welfare-to-work funds
If the Secretary of Labor finds that an amount paid to an entity under section 603 (a)(5)(B) of this title has been used in violation of subparagraph (B) or (C) of section 603 (a)(5) of this title, the entity shall remit to the Secretary of Labor an amount equal to the amount so used.

(2) Failure to submit required report

(A) In general
If the Secretary determines that a State has not, within 45 days after the end of a fiscal quarter, submitted the report required by section 611 (a) of this title for the quarter, the Secretary shall reduce the grant payable to the State under section 603 (a)(1) of this title for the immediately succeeding fiscal year by an amount equal to 4 percent of the State family assistance grant.

(B) Rescission of penalty
The Secretary shall rescind a penalty imposed on a State under subparagraph (A) with respect to a report if the State submits the report before the end of the fiscal quarter that immediately succeeds the fiscal quarter for which the report was required.

(3) Failure to satisfy minimum participation rates

(A) In general
If the Secretary determines that a State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title for a fiscal year has failed to comply with section 607 (a) of this title for the fiscal year, the Secretary shall reduce the grant payable to the State under section 603 (a)(1) of this title for the immediately succeeding fiscal year by an amount equal to the applicable percentage of the State family assistance grant.

(B) “Applicable percentage” defined
As used in subparagraph (A), the term applicable percentage means, with respect to a State

(i) if a penalty was not imposed on the State under subparagraph (A) for the immediately preceding fiscal year, 5 percent; or

(ii) if a penalty was imposed on the State under subparagraph (A) for the immediately preceding fiscal year, the lesser of

(I) the percentage by which the grant payable to the State under section 603 (a)(1) of this title was reduced for such preceding fiscal year, increased by 2 percentage points; or

(II) 21 percent.

(C) Penalty based on severity of failure
The Secretary shall impose reductions under subparagraph (A) with respect to a fiscal year based on the degree of noncompliance, and may reduce the penalty if the noncompliance is due to circumstances that caused the State to become a needy State (as defined in section 603 (b)(6) of this title) during the fiscal year or if the noncompliance is due to extraordinary circumstances such as a natural disaster or regional recession. The Secretary shall provide a written report to Congress to justify any waiver or penalty reduction due to such extraordinary circumstances.

(4) Failure to participate in the income and eligibility verification system
If the Secretary determines that a State program funded under this part is not participating during a fiscal year in the income and eligibility verification system required by section 1320b–7 of this title, the Secretary shall reduce the grant payable to the State under section 603 (a)(1) of this title for the immediately succeeding fiscal year by an amount equal to not more than 2 percent of the State family assistance grant.

(5) Failure to comply with paternity establishment and child support enforcement requirements under part D
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, if the Secretary determines that the State agency that administers a program funded under this part does not enforce the penalties requested by the agency administering part D of this subchapter against recipients of assistance under the State program who fail to cooperate in establishing paternity or in establishing, modifying, or enforcing a child support order in accordance with such part and who do not qualify for any good cause or other exception established by the State under section 654 (29) of this title, the Secretary shall reduce the grant payable to the State under section 603 (a)(1) of this title for the immediately succeeding fiscal year (without regard to this section) by not more than 5 percent.

(6) Failure to timely repay a Federal Loan Fund for State Welfare Programs
If the Secretary determines that a State has failed to repay any amount borrowed from the Federal Loan Fund for State Welfare Programs established under section 606 of this title within the period of maturity applicable to the loan, plus any interest owed on the loan, the Secretary shall reduce the grant payable to the State under section 603 (a)(1) of this title for the immediately succeeding fiscal year quarter (without regard to this section) by the outstanding loan amount, plus the interest owed on the outstanding amount. The Secretary shall not forgive any outstanding loan amount or interest owed on the outstanding amount.

(7) Failure of any State to maintain certain level of historic effort

(A) In general
The Secretary shall reduce the grant payable to the State under section 603 (a)(1) of this title for fiscal year 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, or 2011 by the amount (if any) by which qualified State expenditures for the then immediately preceding fiscal year are less than the applicable percentage of historic State expenditures with respect to such preceding fiscal year.

(B) Definitions
As used in this paragraph:

(i) Qualified State expenditures

(I) In general The term qualified State expenditures means, with respect to a State and a fiscal year, the total expenditures by the State during the fiscal year, under all State programs, for any of the following with respect to eligible families:

(aa) Cash assistance, including any amount collected by the State as support pursuant to a plan approved under part D of this subchapter, on behalf of a family receiving assistance under the State program funded under this part, that is distributed to the family under section 657 (a)(1)(B) of this title and disregarded in determining the eligibility of the family for, and the amount of, such assistance.

(bb) Child care assistance.

(cc) Educational activities designed to increase self-sufficiency, job training, and work, excluding any expenditure for public education in the State except expenditures which involve the provision of services or assistance to a member of an eligible family which is not generally available to persons who are not members of an eligible family.

(dd) Administrative costs in connection with the matters described in items (aa), (bb), (cc), and (ee), but only to the extent that such costs do not exceed 15 percent of the total amount of qualified State expenditures for the fiscal year.

(ee) Any other use of funds allowable under section 604 (a)(1) of this title.

(II) Exclusion of transfers from other State and local programs Such term does not include expenditures under any State or local program during a fiscal year, except to the extent that

(aa) the expenditures exceed the amount expended under the State or local program in the fiscal year most recently ending before August 22, 1996; or

(bb) the State is entitled to a payment under former section 603 of this title (as in effect immediately before August 22, 1996) with respect to the expenditures.

(III) Exclusion of amounts expended to replace penalty grant reductions Such term does not include any amount expended in order to comply with paragraph (12).

(IV) Eligible families As used in subclause (I), the term eligible families means families eligible for assistance under the State program funded under this part, families that would be eligible for such assistance but for the application of section 608 (a)(7) of this title, and families of aliens lawfully present in the United States that would be eligible for such assistance but for the application of title IV of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 [8 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.].

(V) Counting of spending on certain pro-family activities The term qualified State expenditures includes the total expenditures by the State during the fiscal year under all State programs for a purpose described in paragraph (3) or (4) of section 601 (a) of this title.

(ii) Applicable percentage The term applicable percentage means for fiscal years 1997 through 2010, 80 percent (or, if the State meets the requirements of section 607 (a) of this title for the fiscal year, 75 percent).

(iii) Historic State expenditures The term historic State expenditures means, with respect to a State, the lesser of

(I) the expenditures by the State under parts A and F of this subchapter (as in effect during fiscal year 1994) for fiscal year 1994; or

(II) the amount which bears the same ratio to the amount described in subclause (I) as

(aa) the State family assistance grant, plus the total amount required to be paid to the State under former section 603 of this title for fiscal year 1994 with respect to amounts expended by the State for child care under subsection (g) or (i) of section 602 of this title (as in effect during fiscal year 1994); bears to

(bb) the total amount required to be paid to the State under former section 603 of this title (as in effect during fiscal year 1994) for fiscal year 1994.

Such term does not include any expenditures under the State plan approved under part A of this subchapter (as so in effect) on behalf of individuals covered by a tribal family assistance plan approved under section 612 of this title, as determined by the Secretary.

(iv) Expenditures by the State The term expenditures by the State does not include

(I) any expenditure from amounts made available by the Federal Government;

(II) any State funds expended for the medicaid program under subchapter XIX of this chapter;

(III) any State funds which are used to match Federal funds provided under section 603 (a)(5) of this title; or

(IV) any State funds which are expended as a condition of receiving Federal funds other than under this part.

Notwithstanding subclause (IV) of the preceding sentence, such term includes expenditures by a State for child care in a fiscal year to the extent that the total amount of the expenditures does not exceed the amount of State expenditures in fiscal year 1994 or 1995 (whichever is the greater) that equal the non-Federal share for the programs described in section 618 (a)(1)(A) of this title.

(v) Source of data In determining expenditures by a State for fiscal years 1994 and 1995, the Secretary shall use information which was reported by the State on ACF Form 231 or (in the case of expenditures under part F of this subchapter) ACF Form 331, available as of the dates specified in clauses (ii) and (iii) of section 603 (a)(1)(D)1 of this title.

(8) Noncompliance of State child support enforcement program with requirements of part D

(A) In general
If the Secretary finds, with respect to a States program under part D of this subchapter, in a fiscal year beginning on or after October 1, 1997

(i)

(I) on the basis of data submitted by a State pursuant to section 654 (15)(B) of this title, or on the basis of the results of a review conducted under section 652 (a)(4) of this title, that the State program failed to achieve the paternity establishment percentages (as defined in section 652 (g)(2) of this title), or to meet other performance measures that may be established by the Secretary;

(II) on the basis of the results of an audit or audits conducted under section 652 (a)(4)(C)(i) of this title that the State data submitted pursuant to section 654 (15)(B) of this title is incomplete or unreliable; or

(III) on the basis of the results of an audit or audits conducted under section 652 (a)(4)(C) of this title that a State failed to substantially comply with 1 or more of the requirements of part D of this subchapter (other than paragraph (24), or subparagraph (A) or (B)(i) of paragraph (27), of section 654 of this title); and

(ii) that, with respect to the succeeding fiscal year

(I) the State failed to take sufficient corrective action to achieve the appropriate performance levels or compliance as described in subparagraph (A)(i); or

(II) the data submitted by the State pursuant to section 654 (15)(B) of this title is incomplete or unreliable;

the amounts otherwise payable to the State under this part for quarters following the end of such succeeding fiscal year, prior to quarters following the end of the first quarter throughout which the State program has achieved the paternity establishment percentages or other performance measures as described in subparagraph (A)(i)(I), or is in substantial compliance with 1 or more of the requirements of part D of this subchapter as described in subparagraph (A)(i)(III), as appropriate, shall be reduced by the percentage specified in subparagraph (B).

(B) Amount of reductions
The reductions required under subparagraph (A) shall be

(i) not less than 1 nor more than 2 percent;

(ii) not less than 2 nor more than 3 percent, if the finding is the 2nd consecutive finding made pursuant to subparagraph (A); or

(iii) not less than 3 nor more than 5 percent, if the finding is the 3rd or a subsequent consecutive such finding.

(C) Disregard of noncompliance which is of a technical nature
For purposes of this section and section 652 (a)(4) of this title, a State determined as a result of an audit

(i) to have failed to have substantially complied with 1 or more of the requirements of part D of this subchapter shall be determined to have achieved substantial compliance only if the Secretary determines that the extent of the noncompliance is of a technical nature which does not adversely affect the performance of the States program under part D of this subchapter; or

(ii) to have submitted incomplete or unreliable data pursuant to section 654 (15)(B) of this title shall be determined to have submitted adequate data only if the Secretary determines that the extent of the incompleteness or unreliability of the data is of a technical nature which does not adversely affect the determination of the level of the States paternity establishment percentages (as defined under section 652 (g)(2) of this title) or other performance measures that may be established by the Secretary.

(9) Failure to comply with 5-year limit on assistance
If the Secretary determines that a State has not complied with section 608 (a)(7) of this title during a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reduce the grant payable to the State under section 603 (a)(1) of this title for the immediately succeeding fiscal year by an amount equal to 5 percent of the State family assistance grant.

(10) Failure of State receiving amounts from Contingency Fund to maintain 100 percent of historic effort
If, at the end of any fiscal year during which amounts from the Contingency Fund for State Welfare Programs have been paid to a State, the Secretary finds that the qualified State expenditures (as defined in paragraph (7)(B)(i) (other than the expenditures described in subclause (I)(bb) of that paragraph)) under the State program funded under this part for the fiscal year are less than 100 percent of historic State expenditures (as defined in paragraph (7)(B)(iii) of this subsection), excluding any amount expended by the State for child care under subsection (g) or (i) of section 602 of this title (as in effect during fiscal year 1994) for fiscal year 1994, the Secretary shall reduce the grant payable to the State under section 603 (a)(1) of this title for the immediately succeeding fiscal year by the total of the amounts so paid to the State that the State has not remitted under section 603 (b)(6) of this title.

(11) Failure to maintain assistance to adult single custodial parent who cannot obtain child care for child under age 6

(A) In general
If the Secretary determines that a State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title for a fiscal year has violated section 607 (e)(2) of this title during the fiscal year, the Secretary shall reduce the grant payable to the State under section 603 (a)(1) of this title for the immediately succeeding fiscal year by an amount equal to not more than 5 percent of the State family assistance grant.

(B) Penalty based on severity of failure
The Secretary shall impose reductions under subparagraph (A) with respect to a fiscal year based on the degree of noncompliance.

(12) Requirement to expend additional State funds to replace grant reductions; penalty for failure to do so
If the grant payable to a State under section 603 (a)(1) of this title for a fiscal year is reduced by reason of this subsection, the State shall, during the immediately succeeding fiscal year, expend under the State program funded under this part an amount equal to the total amount of such reductions. If the State fails during such succeeding fiscal year to make the expenditure required by the preceding sentence from its own funds, the Secretary may reduce the grant payable to the State under section 603 (a)(1) of this title for the fiscal year that follows such succeeding fiscal year by an amount equal to the sum of

(A) not more than 2 percent of the State family assistance grant; and

(B) the amount of the expenditure required by the preceding sentence.

(13) Penalty for failure of State to maintain historic effort during year in which welfare-to-work grant is received
If a grant is made to a State under section 603 (a)(5)(A) of this title for a fiscal year and paragraph (7) of this subsection requires the grant payable to the State under section 603 (a)(1) of this title to be reduced for the immediately succeeding fiscal year, then the Secretary shall reduce the grant payable to the State under section 603 (a)(1) of this title for such succeeding fiscal year by the amount of the grant made to the State under section 603 (a)(5)(A) of this title for the fiscal year.

(14) Penalty for failure to reduce assistance for recipients refusing without good cause to work

(A) In general
If the Secretary determines that a State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title in a fiscal year has violated section 607 (e) of this title during the fiscal year, the Secretary shall reduce the grant payable to the State under section 603 (a)(1) of this title for the immediately succeeding fiscal year by an amount equal to not less than 1 percent and not more than 5 percent of the State family assistance grant.

(B) Penalty based on severity of failure
The Secretary shall impose reductions under subparagraph (A) with respect to a fiscal year based on the degree of noncompliance.

(15) Penalty for failure to establish or comply with work participation verification procedures

(A) In general
If the Secretary determines that a State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title in a fiscal year has violated section 607 (i)(2) of this title during the fiscal year, the Secretary shall reduce the grant payable to the State under section 603 (a)(1) of this title for the immediately succeeding fiscal year by an amount equal to not less than 1 percent and not more than 5 percent of the State family assistance grant.

(B) Penalty based on severity of failure
The Secretary shall impose reductions under subparagraph (A) with respect to a fiscal year based on the degree of noncompliance.

(b) Reasonable cause exception

(1) In general
The Secretary may not impose a penalty on a State under subsection (a) of this section with respect to a requirement if the Secretary determines that the State has reasonable cause for failing to comply with the requirement.

(2) Exception
Paragraph (1) of this subsection shall not apply to any penalty under paragraph (6), (7), (8), (10), (12), or (13) of subsection (a) of this section.

(1) In general

(A) Notification of violation
Before imposing a penalty against a State under subsection (a) of this section with respect to a violation of this part, the Secretary shall notify the State of the violation and allow the State the opportunity to enter into a corrective compliance plan in accordance with this subsection which outlines how the State will correct or discontinue, as appropriate, the violation and how the State will insure continuing compliance with this part.

(B) 60-day period to propose a corrective compliance plan
During the 60-day period that begins on the date the State receives a notice provided under subparagraph (A) with respect to a violation, the State may submit to the Federal Government a corrective compliance plan to correct or discontinue, as appropriate, the violation.

(C) Consultation about modifications
During the 60-day period that begins with the date the Secretary receives a corrective compliance plan submitted by a State in accordance with subparagraph (B), the Secretary may consult with the State on modifications to the plan.

(D) Acceptance of plan
A corrective compliance plan submitted by a State in accordance with subparagraph (B) is deemed to be accepted by the Secretary if the Secretary does not accept or reject the plan during 60-day period that begins on the date the plan is submitted.

(2) Effect of correcting or discontinuing violation
The Secretary may not impose any penalty under subsection (a) of this section with respect to any violation covered by a State corrective compliance plan accepted by the Secretary if the State corrects or discontinues, as appropriate^[2] the violation pursuant to the plan.

(3) Effect of failing to correct or discontinue violation
The Secretary shall assess some or all of a penalty imposed on a State under subsection (a) of this section with respect to a violation if the State does not, in a timely manner, correct or discontinue, as appropriate, the violation pursuant to a State corrective compliance plan accepted by the Secretary.

(4) Inapplicability to certain penalties
This subsection shall not apply to the imposition of a penalty against a State under paragraph (6), (7), (8), (10), (12), or (13) of subsection (a) of this section.

(d) Limitation on amount of penalties

(1) In general
In imposing the penalties described in subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary shall not reduce any quarterly payment to a State by more than 25 percent.

(2) Carryforward of unrecovered penalties
To the extent that paragraph (1) of this subsection prevents the Secretary from recovering during a fiscal year the full amount of penalties imposed on a State under subsection (a) of this section for a prior fiscal year, the Secretary shall apply any remaining amount of such penalties to the grant payable to the State under section 603 (a)(1) of this title for the immediately succeeding fiscal year.

[1] See References in Text note below.
[2] So in original. Probably should be followed by a comma.

42 USC 610 - Appeal of adverse decision

(a) In general
Within 5 days after the date the Secretary takes any adverse action under this part with respect to a State, the Secretary shall notify the chief executive officer of the State of the adverse action, including any action with respect to the State plan submitted under section 602 of this title or the imposition of a penalty under section 609 of this title.

(b) Administrative review

(1) In general
Within 60 days after the date a State receives notice under subsection (a) of this section of an adverse action, the State may appeal the action, in whole or in part, to the Departmental Appeals Board established in the Department of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the Board) by filing an appeal with the Board.

(2) Procedural rules
The Board shall consider an appeal filed by a State under paragraph (1) on the basis of such documentation as the State may submit and as the Board may require to support the final decision of the Board. In deciding whether to uphold an adverse action or any portion of such an action, the Board shall conduct a thorough review of the issues and take into account all relevant evidence. The Board shall make a final determination with respect to an appeal filed under paragraph (1) not less than 60 days after the date the appeal is filed.

(1) In general
Within 90 days after the date of a final decision by the Board under this section with respect to an adverse action taken against a State, the State may obtain judicial review of the final decision (and the findings incorporated into the final decision) by filing an action in

(A) the district court of the United States for the judicial district in which the principal or headquarters office of the State agency is located; or

(B) the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

(2) Procedural rules
The district court in which an action is filed under paragraph (1) shall review the final decision of the Board on the record established in the administrative proceeding, in accordance with the standards of review prescribed by subparagraphs (A) through (E) of section 706 (2) of title 5. The review shall be on the basis of the documents and supporting data submitted to the Board.

42 USC 611 - Data collection and reporting

(a) Quarterly reports by States

(1) General reporting requirement

(A) Contents of report
Each eligible State shall collect on a monthly basis, and report to the Secretary on a quarterly basis, the following disaggregated case record information on the families receiving assistance under the State program funded under this part (except for information relating to activities carried out under section 603 (a)(5) of this title) or any other State program funded with qualified State expenditures (as defined in section 609 (a)(7)(B)(i) of this title):

(i) The county of residence of the family.

(ii) Whether a child receiving such assistance or an adult in the family is receiving

(I) Federal disability insurance benefits;

(II) benefits based on Federal disability status;

(III) aid under a State plan approved under subchapter XIV of this chapter (as in effect without regard to the amendment made by section 301 of the Social Security Amendments of 1972));^[1]

(IV) aid or assistance under a State plan approved under subchapter XVI of this chapter (as in effect without regard to such amendment) by reason of being permanently and totally disabled; or

(V) supplemental security income benefits under subchapter XVI of this chapter (as in effect pursuant to such amendment) by reason of disability.

(iii) The ages of the members of such families.

(iv) The number of individuals in the family, and the relation of each family member to the head of the family.

(v) The employment status and earnings of the employed adult in the family.

(vi) The marital status of the adults in the family, including whether such adults have never married, are widowed, or are divorced.

(vii) The race and educational level of each adult in the family.

(viii) The race and educational level of each child in the family.

(ix) Whether the family received subsidized housing, medical assistance under the State plan approved under subchapter XIX of this chapter, food stamps, or subsidized child care, and if the latter 2, the amount received.

(x) The number of months that the family has received each type of assistance under the program.

(xi) If the adults participated in, and the number of hours per week of participation in, the following activities:

(I) Education.

(II) Subsidized private sector employment.

(III) Unsubsidized employment.

(IV) Public sector employment, work experience, or community service.

(V) Job search.

(VI) Job skills training or on-the-job training.

(VII) Vocational education.

(xii) Information necessary to calculate participation rates under section 607 of this title.

(xiii) The type and amount of assistance received under the program, including the amount of and reason for any reduction of assistance (including sanctions).

(xiv) Any amount of unearned income received by any member of the family.

(xv) The citizenship of the members of the family.

(xvi) From a sample of closed cases, whether the family left the program, and if so, whether the family left due to

(I) employment;

(II) marriage;

(III) the prohibition set forth in section 608 (a)(7) of this title;

(IV) sanction; or

(V) State policy.

(xvii) With respect to each individual in the family who has not attained 20 years of age, whether the individual is a parent of a child in the family.

(B) Use of samples

(i) Authority A State may comply with subparagraph (A) by submitting disaggregated case record information on a sample of families selected through the use of scientifically acceptable sampling methods approved by the Secretary.

(ii) Sampling and other methods The Secretary shall provide the States with such case sampling plans and data collection procedures as the Secretary deems necessary to produce statistically valid estimates of the performance of State programs funded under this part and any other State programs funded with qualified State expenditures (as defined in section 609 (a)(7)(B)(i) of this title). The Secretary may develop and implement procedures for verifying the quality of data submitted by the States.

(2) Report on use of Federal funds to cover administrative costs and overhead
The report required by paragraph (1) for a fiscal quarter shall include a statement of the percentage of the funds paid to the State under this part for the quarter that are used to cover administrative costs or overhead, with a separate statement of the percentage of such funds that are used to cover administrative costs or overhead incurred for programs operated with funds provided under section 603 (a)(5) of this title.

(3) Report on State expenditures on programs for needy families
The report required by paragraph (1) for a fiscal quarter shall include a statement of the total amount expended by the State during the quarter on programs for needy families, with a separate statement of the total amount expended by the State during the quarter on programs operated with funds provided under section 603 (a)(5) of this title.

(4) Report on noncustodial parents participating in work activities
The report required by paragraph (1) for a fiscal quarter shall include the number of noncustodial parents in the State who participated in work activities (as defined in section 607 (d) of this title) during the quarter, with a separate statement of the number of such parents who participated in programs operated with funds provided under section 603 (a)(5) of this title.

(5) Report on transitional services
The report required by paragraph (1) for a fiscal quarter shall include the total amount expended by the State during the quarter to provide transitional services to a family that has ceased to receive assistance under this part because of employment, along with a description of such services.

(6) Report on families receiving assistance
The report required by paragraph (1) for a fiscal quarter shall include for each month in the quarter

(A) the number of families and individuals receiving assistance under the State program funded under this part (including the number of 2-parent and 1-parent families);

(B) the total dollar value of such assistance received by all families; and

(C) with respect to families and individuals participating in a program operated with funds provided under section 603 (a)(5) of this title

(i) the total number of such families and individuals; and

(ii) the number of such families and individuals whose participation in such a program was terminated during a month.

(7) Regulations
The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to define the data elements with respect to which reports are required by this subsection, and shall consult with the Secretary of Labor in defining the data elements with respect to programs operated with funds provided under section 603 (a)(5) of this title.

(b) Annual reports to Congress by Secretary
Not later than 6 months after the end of fiscal year 1997, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary shall transmit to the Congress a report describing

(1) whether the States are meeting

(A) the participation rates described in section 607 (a) of this title; and

(B) the objectives of

(i) increasing employment and earnings of needy families, and child support collections; and

(ii) decreasing out-of-wedlock pregnancies and child poverty;

(2) the demographic and financial characteristics of families applying for assistance, families receiving assistance, and families that become ineligible to receive assistance;

(3) the characteristics of each State program funded under this part; and

(4) the trends in employment and earnings of needy families with minor children living at home.

[1] So in original. The second parenthesis probably should not appear.

42 USC 611a - State required to provide certain information

Each State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title shall, at least 4 times annually and upon request of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, furnish the Immigration and Naturalization Service with the name and address of, and other identifying information on, any individual who the State knows is unlawfully in the United States.

42 USC 612 - Direct funding and administration by Indian tribes

(a) Grants for Indian tribes

(1) Tribal family assistance grant

(A) In general
For each of fiscal years 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003, the Secretary shall pay to each Indian tribe that has an approved tribal family assistance plan a tribal family assistance grant for the fiscal year in an amount equal to the amount determined under subparagraph (B), which shall be reduced for a fiscal year, on a pro rata basis for each quarter, in the case of a tribal family assistance plan approved during a fiscal year for which the plan is to be in effect, and shall reduce the grant payable under section 603 (a)(1) of this title to any State in which lies the service area or areas of the Indian tribe by that portion of the amount so determined that is attributable to expenditures by the State.

(B) Amount determined

(i) In general The amount determined under this subparagraph is an amount equal to the total amount of the Federal payments to a State or States under section 603 of this title (as in effect during such fiscal year) for fiscal year 1994 attributable to expenditures (other than child care expenditures) by the State or States under parts A and F of this subchapter (as so in effect) for fiscal year 1994 for Indian families residing in the service area or areas identified by the Indian tribe pursuant to subsection (b)(1)(C) of this section.

(ii) Use of State submitted data

(I) In general The Secretary shall use State submitted data to make each determination under clause (i).

(II) Disagreement with determination If an Indian tribe or tribal organization disagrees with State submitted data described under subclause (I), the Indian tribe or tribal organization may submit to the Secretary such additional information as may be relevant to making the determination under clause (i) and the Secretary may consider such information before making such determination.

(2) Grants for Indian tribes that received jobs funds

(A) In general
For each of fiscal years 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003, the Secretary shall pay to each eligible Indian tribe that proposes to operate a program described in subparagraph (C) a grant in an amount equal to the amount received by the Indian tribe in fiscal year 1994 under section 682 (i) of this title (as in effect during fiscal year 1994).

(B) Eligible Indian tribe
For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term eligible Indian tribe means an Indian tribe or Alaska Native organization that conducted a job opportunities and basic skills training program in fiscal year 1995 under section 682 (i) of this title (as in effect during fiscal year 1995).

(C) Use of grant
Each Indian tribe to which a grant is made under this paragraph shall use the grant for the purpose of operating a program to make work activities available to such population and such service area or areas as the tribe specifies.

(D) Appropriation
Out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated $7,633,287 for each fiscal year specified in subparagraph (A) for grants under subparagraph (A).

(3) Welfare-to-work grants

(A) In general
The Secretary of Labor shall award a grant in accordance with this paragraph to an Indian tribe for each fiscal year specified in section 603 (a)(5)(H) of this title for which the Indian tribe is a welfare-to-work tribe, in such amount as the Secretary of Labor deems appropriate, subject to subparagraph (B) of this paragraph.

(B) Welfare-to-work tribe
An Indian tribe shall be considered a welfare-to-work tribe for a fiscal year for purposes of this paragraph if the Indian tribe meets the following requirements:

(i) The Indian tribe has submitted to the Secretary of Labor a plan which describes how, consistent with section 603 (a)(5) of this title, the Indian tribe will use any funds provided under this paragraph during the fiscal year. If the Indian tribe has a tribal family assistance plan, the plan referred to in the preceding sentence shall be in the form of an addendum to the tribal family assistance plan.

(ii) The Indian tribe is operating a program under a tribal family assistance plan approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, a program described in paragraph (2)(C), or an employment program funded through other sources under which substantial services are provided to recipients of assistance under a program funded under this part.

(iii) The Indian tribe has provided the Secretary of Labor with an estimate of the amount that the Indian tribe intends to expend during the fiscal year (excluding tribal expenditures described in section 609 (a)(7)(B)(iv) (other than subclause (III) thereof) of this title) pursuant to this paragraph.

(iv) The Indian tribe has agreed to negotiate in good faith with the Secretary of Health and Human Services with respect to the substance and funding of any evaluation under section 613 (j) of this title, and to cooperate with the conduct of any such evaluation.

(i) In general Section 603 (a)(5)(C) of this title shall apply to funds provided to Indian tribes under this paragraph in the same manner in which such section applies to funds provided under section 603 (a)(5) of this title.

(ii) Waiver authority The Secretary of Labor may waive or modify the application of a provision of section 603 (a)(5)(C) (other than clause (viii) thereof) of this title with respect to an Indian tribe to the extent necessary to enable the Indian tribe to operate a more efficient or effective program with the funds provided under this paragraph.

(iii) Regulations Within 90 days after August 5, 1997, the Secretary of Labor, after consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to implement this paragraph.

(b) 3-year tribal family assistance plan

(1) In general
Any Indian tribe that desires to receive a tribal family assistance grant shall submit to the Secretary a 3-year tribal family assistance plan that

(A) outlines the Indian tribes approach to providing welfare-related services for the 3-year period, consistent with this section;

(B) specifies whether the welfare-related services provided under the plan will be provided by the Indian tribe or through agreements, contracts, or compacts with intertribal consortia, States, or other entities;

(D) provides that a family receiving assistance under the plan may not receive duplicative assistance from other State or tribal programs funded under this part;

(E) identifies the employment opportunities in or near the service area or areas of the Indian tribe and the manner in which the Indian tribe will cooperate and participate in enhancing such opportunities for recipients of assistance under the plan consistent with any applicable State standards; and

(F) applies the fiscal accountability provisions of section 5(f)(1) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450c (f)(1)), relating to the submission of a single-agency audit report required by chapter 75 of title 31.

(2) Approval
The Secretary shall approve each tribal family assistance plan submitted in accordance with paragraph (1).

(3) Consortium of tribes
Nothing in this section shall preclude the development and submission of a single tribal family assistance plan by the participating Indian tribes of an intertribal consortium.

(c) Minimum work participation requirements and time limits
The Secretary, with the participation of Indian tribes, shall establish for each Indian tribe receiving a grant under this section minimum work participation requirements, appropriate time limits for receipt of welfare-related services under the grant, and penalties against individuals

(1) consistent with the purposes of this section;

(2) consistent with the economic conditions and resources available to each tribe; and

(3) similar to comparable provisions in section 607 (e) of this title.

(d) Emergency assistance
Nothing in this section shall preclude an Indian tribe from seeking emergency assistance from any Federal loan program or emergency fund.

(e) Accountability
Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the ability of the Secretary to maintain program funding accountability consistent with

(1) generally accepted accounting principles; and

(2) the requirements of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450 et seq.).

(f) Eligibility for Federal loans
Section 606 of this title shall apply to an Indian tribe with an approved tribal assistance plan in the same manner as such section applies to a State, except that section 606 (c) of this title shall be applied by substituting section 612 (a) for section 603 (a).

(g) Penalties

(1) Subsections (a)(1), (a)(6), (b), and (c) of section 609 of this title, shall apply to an Indian tribe with an approved tribal assistance plan in the same manner as such subsections apply to a State.

(2) Section 609 (a)(3) of this title shall apply to an Indian tribe with an approved tribal assistance plan by substituting meet minimum work participation requirements established under section 612 (c) of this title for comply with section 607 (a) of this title.

(h) Data collection and reporting
Section 611 of this title shall apply to an Indian tribe with an approved tribal family assistance plan.

(i) Special rule for Indian tribes in Alaska

(1) In general
Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, and except as provided in paragraph (2), an Indian tribe in the State of Alaska that receives a tribal family assistance grant under this section shall use the grant to operate a program in accordance with requirements comparable to the requirements applicable to the program of the State of Alaska funded under this part. Comparability of programs shall be established on the basis of program criteria developed by the Secretary in consultation with the State of Alaska and such Indian tribes.

(2) Waiver
An Indian tribe described in paragraph (1) may apply to the appropriate State authority to receive a waiver of the requirement of paragraph (1).

42 USC 613 - Research, evaluations, and national studies

(a) Research
The Secretary, directly or through grants, contracts, or interagency agreements, shall conduct research on the benefits, effects, and costs of operating different State programs funded under this part, including time limits relating to eligibility for assistance. The research shall include studies on the effects of different programs and the operation of such programs on welfare dependency, illegitimacy, teen pregnancy, employment rates, child well-being, and any other area the Secretary deems appropriate. The Secretary shall also conduct research on the costs and benefits of State activities under section 607 of this title.

(b) Development and evaluation of innovative approaches to reducing welfare dependency and increasing child well-being

(1) In general
The Secretary may assist States in developing, and shall evaluate, innovative approaches for reducing welfare dependency and increasing the well-being of minor children living at home with respect to recipients of assistance under programs funded under this part. The Secretary may provide funds for training and technical assistance to carry out the approaches developed pursuant to this paragraph.

(2) Evaluations
In performing the evaluations under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent feasible, use random assignment as an evaluation methodology.

(c) Dissemination of information
The Secretary shall develop innovative methods of disseminating information on any research, evaluations, and studies conducted under this section, including the facilitation of the sharing of information and best practices among States and localities through the use of computers and other technologies.

(d) Annual ranking of States and review of most and least successful work programs

(1) Annual ranking of States
The Secretary shall rank annually the States to which grants are paid under section 603 of this title in the order of their success in placing recipients of assistance under the State program funded under this part into long-term private sector jobs, reducing the overall welfare caseload, and, when a practicable method for calculating this information becomes available, diverting individuals from formally applying to the State program and receiving assistance. In ranking States under this subsection, the Secretary shall take into account the average number of minor children living at home in families in the State that have incomes below the poverty line and the amount of funding provided each State for such families.

(2) Annual review of most and least successful work programs
The Secretary shall review the programs of the 3 States most recently ranked highest under paragraph (1) and the 3 States most recently ranked lowest under paragraph (1) that provide parents with work experience, assistance in finding employment, and other work preparation activities and support services to enable the families of such parents to leave the program and become self-sufficient.

(e) Annual ranking of States and review of issues relating to out-of-wedlock births

(1) In general
The Secretary shall annually rank States to which grants are made under section 603 of this title based on the following ranking factors:

(A) Absolute out-of-wedlock ratios
The ratio represented by

(i) the total number of out-of-wedlock births in families receiving assistance under the State program under this part in the State for the most recent year for which information is available; over

(ii) the total number of births in families receiving assistance under the State program under this part in the State for the year.

(B) Net changes in the out-of-wedlock ratio
The difference between the ratio described in subparagraph (A) with respect to a State for the most recent year for which such information is available and the ratio with respect to the State for the immediately preceding year.

(2) Annual review
The Secretary shall review the programs of the 5 States most recently ranked highest under paragraph (1) and the 5 States most recently ranked the lowest under paragraph (1).

(f) State-initiated evaluations
A State shall be eligible to receive funding to evaluate the State program funded under this part if

(1) the State submits a proposal to the Secretary for the evaluation;

(2) the Secretary determines that the design and approach of the evaluation is rigorous and is likely to yield information that is credible and will be useful to other States; and

(3) unless otherwise waived by the Secretary, the State contributes to the cost of the evaluation, from non-Federal sources, an amount equal to at least 10 percent of the cost of the evaluation.

(g) Report on circumstances of certain children and families

(1) In general
Beginning 3 years after August 22, 1996, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall prepare and submit to the Committees on Ways and Means and on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives and to the Committees on Finance and on Labor and Resources of the Senate annual reports that examine in detail the matters described in paragraph (2) with respect to each of the following groups for the period after August 22, 1996:

(A) Individuals who were children in families that have become ineligible for assistance under a State program funded under this part by reason of having reached a time limit on the provision of such assistance.

(B) Children born after August 22, 1996, to parents who, at the time of such birth, had not attained 20 years of age.

(2) Matters described
The matters described in this paragraph are the following:

(A) The percentage of each group that has dropped out of secondary school (or the equivalent), and the percentage of each group at each level of educational attainment.

(B) The percentage of each group that is employed.

(D) The rate at which the members of each group are born, or have children, out-of-wedlock, and the percentage of each group that is married.

(E) The percentage of each group that continues to participate in State programs funded under this part.

(F) The percentage of each group that has health insurance provided by a private entity (broken down by whether the insurance is provided through an employer or otherwise), the percentage that has health insurance provided by an agency of government, and the percentage that does not have health insurance.

(G) The average income of the families of the members of each group.

(H) Such other matters as the Secretary deems appropriate.

(h) Funding of studies and demonstrations

(1) In general
Out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1997 through 2002 for the purpose of paying

(A) the cost of conducting the research described in subsection (a) of this section;

(B) the cost of developing and evaluating innovative approaches for reducing welfare dependency and increasing the well-being of minor children under subsection (b) of this section;

(D) an amount determined by the Secretary to be necessary to operate and evaluate demonstration projects, relating to this part, that are in effect or approved under section 1315 of this title as of August 22, 1996, and are continued after such date.

(2) Allocation
Of the amount appropriated under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year

(A) 50 percent shall be allocated for the purposes described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1), and

(B) 50 percent shall be allocated for the purposes described in subparagraphs (C) and (D) of paragraph (1).

(3) Demonstrations of innovative strategies
The Secretary may implement and evaluate demonstrations of innovative and promising strategies which

(A) provide one-time capital funds to establish, expand, or replicate programs;

(B) test performance-based grant-to-loan financing in which programs meeting performance targets receive grants while programs not meeting such targets repay funding on a prorated basis; and

(i) Child poverty rates

(1) In general
Not later than May 31, 1998, and annually thereafter, the chief executive officer of each State shall submit to the Secretary a statement of the child poverty rate in the State as of August 22, 1996, or the date of the most recent prior statement under this paragraph.

(2) Submission of corrective action plan
Not later than 90 days after the date a State submits a statement under paragraph (1) which indicates that, as a result of the amendments made by section 103 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, the child poverty rate of the State has increased by 5 percent or more since the most recent prior statement under paragraph (1), the State shall prepare and submit to the Secretary a corrective action plan in accordance with paragraph (3).

(3) Contents of plan
A corrective action plan submitted under paragraph (2) shall outline the manner in which the State will reduce the child poverty rate in the State. The plan shall include a description of the actions to be taken by the State under such plan.

(4) Compliance with plan
A State that submits a corrective action plan that the Secretary has found contains the information required by this subsection shall implement the corrective action plan until the State determines that the child poverty rate in the State is less than the lowest child poverty rate on the basis of which the State was required to submit the corrective action plan.

(5) Methodology
The Secretary shall prescribe regulations establishing the methodology by which a State shall determine the child poverty rate in the State. The methodology shall take into account factors including the number of children who receive free or reduced-price lunches, the number of food stamp households, and, to the extent available, county-by-county estimates of children in poverty as determined by the Census Bureau.

(j) Evaluation of welfare-to-work programs

(1) Evaluation
The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

(A) shall develop a plan to evaluate how grants made under sections 603 (a)(5) and 612 (a)(3) of this title have been used;

(B) may evaluate the use of such grants by such grantees as the Secretary deems appropriate, in accordance with an agreement entered into with the grantees after good-faith negotiations; and

(i) Placements in unsubsidized employment, and placements in unsubsidized employment that last for at least 6 months.

(ii) Placements in the private and public sectors.

(iii) Earnings of individuals who obtain employment.

(iv) Average expenditures per placement.

(2) Reports to the Congress

(A) In general
Subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C), the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, shall submit to the Congress reports on the projects funded under section^[1] 603(a)(5) and 612(a)(3) of this title and on the evaluations of the projects.

(B) Interim report
Not later than January 1, 1999, the Secretary shall submit an interim report on the matter described in subparagraph (A).

(C) Final report
Not later than January 1, 2001,^[2] (or at a later date, if the Secretary informs the Committees of the Congress with jurisdiction over the subject matter of the report) the Secretary shall submit a final report on the matter described in subparagraph (A).

[1] So in original. Probably should be “sections”.
[2] So in original.

42 USC 614 - Study by Census Bureau

(a) In general
The Bureau of the Census shall continue to collect data on the 1992 and 1993 panels of the Survey of Income and Program Participation as necessary to obtain such information as will enable interested persons to evaluate the impact of the amendments made by title I of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 on a random national sample of recipients of assistance under State programs funded under this part and (as appropriate) other low-income families, and in doing so, shall pay particular attention to the issues of out-of-wedlock birth, welfare dependency, the beginning and end of welfare spells, and the causes of repeat welfare spells, and shall obtain information about the status of children participating in such panels.

(b) Appropriation
Out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003 for payment to the Bureau of the Census to carry out subsection (a) of this section.

42 USC 615 - Waivers

(a) Continuation of waivers

(1) Waivers in effect on August 22, 1996

(B) Financing limitation
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, beginning with fiscal year 1996, a State operating under a waiver described in subparagraph (A) shall be entitled to payment under section 603 of this title for the fiscal year, in lieu of any other payment provided for in the waiver.

(2) Waivers granted subsequently

(A) In general
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), if any waiver granted to a State under section 1315 of this title or otherwise which relates to the provision of assistance under a State plan under this part (as in effect on September 30, 1996) is submitted to the Secretary before August 22, 1996, and approved by the Secretary on or before July 1, 1997, and the State demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Secretary that the waiver will not result in Federal expenditures under subchapter IV of this chapter (as in effect without regard to the amendments made by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996) that are greater than would occur in the absence of the waiver, the amendments made by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (other than by section 103(c) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996) shall not apply with respect to the State before the expiration (determined without regard to any extensions) of the waiver to the extent the amendments made by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 are inconsistent with the waiver.

(B) No effect on new work requirements
Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), a waiver granted under section 1315 of this title or otherwise which relates to the provision of assistance under a State program funded under this part (as in effect on September 30, 1996) shall not affect the applicability of section 607 of this title to the State.

(b) State option to terminate waiver

(1) In general
A State may terminate a waiver described in subsection (a) of this section before the expiration of the waiver.

(2) Report
A State which terminates a waiver under paragraph (1) shall submit a report to the Secretary summarizing the waiver and any available information concerning the result or effect of the waiver.

(3) Hold harmless provision

(A) In general
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a State that, not later than the date described in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, submits a written request to terminate a waiver described in subsection (a) of this section shall be held harmless for accrued cost neutrality liabilities incurred under the waiver.

(B) Date described
The date described in this subparagraph is 90 days following the adjournment of the first regular session of the State legislature that begins after August 22, 1996.

(c) Secretarial encouragement of current waivers
The Secretary shall encourage any State operating a waiver described in subsection (a) of this section to continue the waiver and to evaluate, using random sampling and other characteristics of accepted scientific evaluations, the result or effect of the waiver.

(d) Continuation of individual waivers
A State may elect to continue 1 or more individual waivers described in subsection (a) of this section.

42 USC 616 - Administration

The programs under this part and part D of this subchapter shall be administered by an Assistant Secretary for Family Support within the Department of Health and Human Services, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and who shall be in addition to any other Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services provided for by law, and the Secretary shall reduce the Federal workforce within the Department of Health and Human Services by an amount equal to the sum of 75 percent of the full-time equivalent positions at such Department that relate to any direct spending program, or any program funded through discretionary spending, that has been converted into a block grant program under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 and the amendments made by such Act, and by an amount equal to 75 percent of that portion of the total full-time equivalent departmental management positions at such Department that bears the same relationship to the amount appropriated for any direct spending program, or any program funded through discretionary spending, that has been converted into a block grant program under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 and the amendments made by such Act, as such amount relates to the total amount appropriated for use by such Department, and, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall take such actions as may be necessary, including reductions in force actions, consistent with sections 3502 and 3595 of title 5, to reduce the full-time equivalent positions within the Department of Health and Human Services by 245 full-time equivalent positions related to the program converted into a block grant under the amendments made by section 103 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, and by 60 full-time equivalent managerial positions in the Department.

42 USC 617 - Limitation on Federal authority

No officer or employee of the Federal Government may regulate the conduct of States under this part or enforce any provision of this part, except to the extent expressly provided in this part.

42 USC 618 - Funding for child care

(a) General child care entitlement

(1) General entitlement
Subject to the amount appropriated under paragraph (3), each State shall, for the purpose of providing child care assistance, be entitled to payments under a grant under this subsection for a fiscal year in an amount equal to the greater of

(A) the total amount required to be paid to the State under section 603 of this title for fiscal year 1994 or 1995 (whichever is greater) with respect to expenditures for child care under subsections (g) and (i) of section 602 of this title (as in effect before October 1, 1995); or

(B) the average of the total amounts required to be paid to the State for fiscal years 1992 through 1994 under the subsections referred to in subparagraph (A).

(2) Remainder

(A) Grants
The Secretary shall use any amounts appropriated for a fiscal year under paragraph (3), and remaining after the reservation described in paragraph (4) and after grants are awarded under paragraph (1), to make grants to States under this paragraph.

(B) Allotments to States
The total amount available for payments to States under this paragraph, as determined under subparagraph (A), shall be allotted among the States based on the formula used for determining the amount of Federal payments to each State under section 603 (n) of this title (as in effect before October 1, 1995).

(C) Federal matching of State expenditures exceeding historical expenditures
The Secretary shall pay to each eligible State for a fiscal year an amount equal to the lesser of the States allotment under subparagraph (B) or the Federal medical assistance percentage for the State for the fiscal year (as defined in section 1396d (b) of this title, as such section was in effect on September 30, 1995) of so much of the States expenditures for child care in that fiscal year as exceed the total amount of expenditures by the State (including expenditures from amounts made available from Federal funds) in fiscal year 1994 or 1995 (whichever is greater) for the programs described in paragraph (1)(A).

(D) Redistribution

(i) In general With respect to any fiscal year, if the Secretary determines (in accordance with clause (ii)) that any amounts allotted to a State under this paragraph for such fiscal year will not be used by such State during such fiscal year for carrying out the purpose for which such amounts are allotted, the Secretary shall make such amounts available in the subsequent fiscal year for carrying out such purpose to one or more States which apply for such funds to the extent the Secretary determines that such States will be able to use such additional amounts for carrying out such purpose. Such available amounts shall be redistributed to a State pursuant to section 603 (n) of this title (as such section was in effect before October 1, 1995) by substituting the number of children residing in all States applying for such funds for the number of children residing in the United States in the second preceding fiscal year.

(ii) Time of determination and distribution The determination of the Secretary under clause (i) for a fiscal year shall be made not later than the end of the first quarter of the subsequent fiscal year. The redistribution of amounts under clause (i) shall be made as close as practicable to the date on which such determination is made. Any amount made available to a State from an appropriation for a fiscal year in accordance with this subparagraph shall, for purposes of this part, be regarded as part of such States payment (as determined under this subsection) for the fiscal year in which the redistribution is made.

(3) Appropriation
For grants under this section, there are appropriated

(A) $1,967,000,000 for fiscal year 1997;

(B) $2,067,000,000 for fiscal year 1998;

(D) $2,367,000,000 for fiscal year 2000;

(E) $2,567,000,000 for fiscal year 2001;

(F) $2,717,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 and 2003;^[1]

(G) $2,917,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2010.

(4) Indian tribes
The Secretary shall reserve not less than 1 percent, and not more than 2 percent, of the aggregate amount appropriated to carry out this section in each fiscal year for payments to Indian tribes and tribal organizations.

(5) Data used to determine State and Federal shares of expenditures
In making the determinations concerning expenditures required under paragraphs (1) and (2)(C), the Secretary shall use information that was reported by the State on ACF Form 231 and available as of the applicable dates specified in clauses (i)(I), (ii), and (iii)(III) of section 603 (a)(1)(D)2 of this title.

(b) Use of funds

(1) In general
Amounts received by a State under this section shall only be used to provide child care assistance. Amounts received by a State under a grant under subsection (a)(1) of this section shall be available for use by the State without fiscal year limitation.

(2) Use for certain populations
A State shall ensure that not less than 70 percent of the total amount of funds received by the State in a fiscal year under this section are used to provide child care assistance to families who are receiving assistance under a State program under this part, families who are attempting through work activities to transition off of such assistance program, and families who are at risk of becoming dependent on such assistance program.

(c) Application of Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, amounts provided to a State under this section shall be transferred to the lead agency under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 [42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.], integrated by the State into the programs established by the State under such Act, and be subject to requirements and limitations of such Act.

(d) “State” defined
As used in this section, the term State means each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia.

[1] So in original. Probably should be followed by “and”.
[2] See References in Text note below.

42 USC 619 - Definitions

As used in this part:

(1) Adult
The term adult means an individual who is not a minor child.

(2) Minor child
The term minor child means an individual who

(A) has not attained 18 years of age; or

(B) has not attained 19 years of age and is a full-time student in a secondary school (or in the equivalent level of vocational or technical training).

(3) Fiscal year
The term fiscal year means any 12-month period ending on September 30 of a calendar year.

(4) Indian, Indian tribe, and tribal organization

(A) In general
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the terms Indian, Indian tribe, and tribal organization have the meaning given such terms by section 450b of title 25.

(B) Special rule for Indian tribes in Alaska
The term Indian tribe means, with respect to the State of Alaska, only the Metlakatla Indian Community of the Annette Islands Reserve and the following Alaska Native regional nonprofit">nonprofit corporations:

(i) Arctic Slope Native Association.

(ii) Kawerak, Inc.

(iii) Maniilaq Association.

(iv) Association of Village Council Presidents.

(v) Tanana Chiefs Conference.

(vi) Cook Inlet Tribal Council.

(vii) Bristol Bay Native Association.

(viii) Aleutian and Pribilof Island Association.

(ix) Chugachmuit.

(x) Tlingit Haida Central Council.

(xi) Kodiak Area Native Association.

(xii) Copper River Native Association.

(5) State
Except as otherwise specifically provided, the term State means the 50 States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa.

Part B - Child and Family Services

subpart 1 - child welfare services

42 USC 620 - Repealed. Pub. L. 109288, 6(a), Sept. 28, 2006, 120 Stat. 1244

Section, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 420, as added Pub. L. 90–248, title II, § 240(c), Jan. 2, 1968, 81 Stat. 911; amended Pub. L. 92–603, title IV, § 412, Oct. 30, 1972, 86 Stat. 1492; Pub. L. 96–272, title I, § 103(a), June 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 516; Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VI, 2663(c)(8), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 1166; Pub. L. 101–239, title X, § 10401(a), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2487, authorized appropriations for child welfare services. See section 625 of this title.

42 USC 621 - Purpose

The purpose of this subpart is to promote State flexibility in the development and expansion of a coordinated child and family services program that utilizes community-based agencies and ensures all children are raised in safe, loving families, by

(1) protecting and promoting the welfare of all children;

(2) preventing the neglect, abuse, or exploitation of children;

(3) supporting at-risk families through services which allow children, where appropriate, to remain safely with their families or return to their families in a timely manner;

(4) promoting the safety, permanence, and well-being of children in foster care and adoptive families; and

(5) providing training, professional development and support to ensure a well-qualified child welfare workforce.

42 USC 622 - State plans for child welfare services

(a) Joint development
In order to be eligible for payment under this subpart, a State must have a plan for child welfare services which has been developed jointly by the Secretary and the State agency designated pursuant to subsection (b)(1) of this section, and which meets the requirements of subsection (b) of this section.

(b) Requisite features of State plans
Each plan for child welfare services under this subpart shall

(1) provide that

(A) the individual or agency that administers or supervises the administration of the States services program under subchapter XX of this chapter will administer or supervise the administration of the plan (except as otherwise provided in section 103(d) of the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980), and

(B) to the extent that child welfare services are furnished by the staff of the State agency or local agency administering the plan, a single organizational unit in such State or local agency, as the case may be, will be responsible for furnishing such child welfare services;

(2) provide for coordination between the services provided for children under the plan and the services and assistance provided under subchapter XX of this chapter, under the State program funded under part A of this subchapter, under the State plan approved under subpart 2 of this part, under the State plan approved under the State plan approved^[1] under part E of this subchapter, and under other State programs having a relationship to the program under this subpart, with a view to provision of welfare and related services which will best promote the welfare of such children and their families;

(3) include a description of the services and activities which the State will fund under the State program carried out pursuant to this subpart, and how the services and activities will achieve the purpose of this subpart;

(4) contain a description of

(A) the steps the State will take to provide child welfare services statewide and to expand and strengthen the range of existing services and develop and implement services to improve child outcomes; and

(B) the child welfare services staff development and training plans of the State;

(5) provide, in the development of services for children, for utilization of the facilities and experience of voluntary agencies in accordance with State and local programs and arrangements, as authorized by the State;

(6) provide that the agency administering or supervising the administration of the plan will furnish such reports, containing such information, and participate in such evaluations, as the Secretary may require;

(7) provide for the diligent recruitment of potential foster and adoptive families that reflect the ethnic and racial diversity of children in the State for whom foster and adoptive homes are needed;

(8) provide assurances that the State

(A) is operating, to the satisfaction of the Secretary

(i) a statewide information system from which can be readily determined the status, demographic characteristics, location, and goals for the placement of every child who is (or, within the immediately preceding 12 months, has been) in foster care;

(ii) a case review system (as defined in section 675 (5) of this title) for each child receiving foster care under the supervision of the State;

(iii) a service program designed to help children

(I) where safe and appropriate, return to families from which they have been removed; or

(II) be placed for adoption, with a legal guardian, or, if adoption or legal guardianship is determined not to be appropriate for a child, in some other planned, permanent living arrangement, which may include a residential educational program; and

(iv) a preplacement preventive services program designed to help children at risk of foster care placement remain safely with their families; and

(B) has in effect policies and administrative and judicial procedures for children abandoned at or shortly after birth (including policies and procedures providing for legal representation of the children) which enable permanent decisions to be made expeditiously with respect to the placement of the children;

(9) contain a description, developed after consultation with tribal organizations (as defined in section 450b of title 25) in the State, of the specific measures taken by the State to comply with the Indian Child Welfare Act [25 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.];

(10) contain assurances that the State shall make effective use of cross-jurisdictional resources (including through contracts for the purchase of services), and shall eliminate legal barriers, to facilitate timely adoptive or permanent placements for waiting children;

(11) contain a description of the activities that the State has undertaken for children adopted from other countries, including the provision of adoption and post-adoption services;

(12) provide that the State shall collect and report information on children who are adopted from other countries and who enter into State custody as a result of the disruption of a placement for adoption or the dissolution of an adoption, including the number of children, the agencies who handled the placement or adoption, the plans for the child, and the reasons for the disruption or dissolution;

(13) demonstrate substantial, ongoing, and meaningful collaboration with State courts in the development and implementation of the State plan under this subpart, the State plan approved under subpart 2, and the State plan approved under part E, and in the development and implementation of any program improvement plan required under section 1320a–2a of this title;

(14) not later than October 1, 2007, include assurances that not more than 10 percent of the expenditures of the State with respect to activities funded from amounts provided under this subpart will be for administrative costs;

(15) describe how the State actively consults with and involves physicians or other appropriate medical professionals in

(A) assessing the health and well-being of children in foster care under the responsibility of the State; and

(B) determining appropriate medical treatment for the children;

(16) provide that, not later than 1 year after September 28, 2006, the State shall have in place procedures providing for how the State programs assisted under this subpart, subpart 2 of this part, or part E would respond to a disaster, in accordance with criteria established by the Secretary which should include how a State would

(A) identify, locate, and continue availability of services for children under State care or supervision who are displaced or adversely affected by a disaster;

(B) respond, as appropriate, to new child welfare cases in areas adversely affected by a disaster, and provide services in those cases;

(C) remain in communication with caseworkers and other essential child welfare personnel who are displaced because of a disaster;

(D) preserve essential program records; and

(E) coordinate services and share information with other States; and

(17) not later than October 1, 2007, describe the State standards for the content and frequency of caseworker visits for children who are in foster care under the responsibility of the State, which, at a minimum, ensure that the children are visited on a monthly basis and that the caseworker visits are well-planned and focused on issues pertinent to case planning and service delivery to ensure the safety, permanency, and well-being of the children.

(1) Administrative costs
The term administrative costs means costs for the following, but only to the extent incurred in administering the State plan developed pursuant to this subpart: procurement, payroll management, personnel functions (other than the portion of the salaries of supervisors attributable to time spent directly supervising the provision of services by caseworkers), management, maintenance and operation of space and property, data processing and computer services, accounting, budgeting, auditing, and travel expenses (except those related to the provision of services by caseworkers or the oversight of programs funded under this subpart).

(2) Other terms
For definitions of other terms used in this part, see section 675 of this title.

[1] So in original.

42 USC 623 - Allotments to States

(a) In general
The sum appropriated pursuant to section 625 of this title for each fiscal year shall be allotted by the Secretary for use by cooperating State public welfare agencies which have plans developed jointly by the State agency and the Secretary as follows: The Secretary shall first allot $70,000 to each State, and shall then allot to each State an amount which bears the same ratio to the remainder of such sum as the product of

(1) the population of the State under the age of twenty-one and

(2) the allotment percentage of the State (as determined under this section) bears to the sum of the corresponding products of all the States.

(b) Determination of State allotment percentages
The allotment percentage for any State shall be 100 percent less the State percentage; and the State percentage shall be the percentage which bears the same ratio to 50 percent as the per capita income of such State bears to the per capita income of the United States; except that

(1) the allotment percentage shall in no case be less than 30 percent or more than 70 percent, and

(2) the allotment percentage shall be 70 percent in the case of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa.

(c) Promulgation of State allotment percentages
The allotment percentage for each State shall be promulgated by the Secretary between October 1 and November 30 of each even-numbered year, on the basis of the average per capita income of each State and of the United States for the three most recent calendar years for which satisfactory data are available from the Department of Commerce. Such promulgation shall be conclusive for each of the two fiscal years in the period beginning October 1 next succeeding such promulgation.

(d) United States defined
For purposes of this section, the term United States means the 50 States and the District of Columbia.

(e) Reallotment of funds

(1) In general
The amount of any allotment to a State for a fiscal year under the preceding provisions of this section which the State certifies to the Secretary will not be required for carrying out the State plan developed as provided in section 622 of this title shall be available for reallotment from time to time, on such dates as the Secretary may fix, to other States which the Secretary determines

(A) need sums in excess of the amounts allotted to such other States under the preceding provisions of this section, in carrying out their State plans so developed; and

(B) will be able to so use such excess sums during the fiscal year.

(2) Considerations
The Secretary shall make the reallotments on the basis of the State plans so developed, after taking into consideration

(A) the population under 21 years of age;

(B) the per capita income of each of such other States as compared with the population under 21 years of age; and

(C) the per capita income of all such other States with respect to which such a determination by the Secretary has been made.

(3) Amounts reallotted to a State deemed part of State allotment
Any amount so reallotted to a State is deemed part of the allotment of the State under this section.

42 USC 624 - Payment to States

(a) Payment schedule
From the sums appropriated therefor and the allotment under this subpart, subject to the conditions set forth in this section, the Secretary shall from time to time pay to each State that has a plan developed in accordance with section 622 of this title an amount equal to 75 percent of the total sum expended under the plan (including the cost of administration of the plan) in meeting the costs of State, district, county, or other local child welfare services.

(b) Computation and method of payment
The method of computing and making payments under this section shall be as follows:

(1) The Secretary shall, prior to the beginning of each period for which a payment is to be made, estimate the amount to be paid to the State for such period under the provisions of this section.

(2) From the allotment available therefor, the Secretary shall pay the amount so estimated, reduced or increased, as the case may be, by any sum (not previously adjusted under this section) by which he finds that his estimate of the amount to be paid the State for any prior period under this section was greater or less than the amount which should have been paid to the State for such prior period under this section.

(c) Limitation on use of Federal funds for child care, foster care maintenance payments, or adoption assistance payments
The total amount of Federal payments under this subpart for a fiscal year beginning after September 30, 2007, that may be used by a State for expenditures for child care, foster care maintenance payments, or adoption assistance payments shall not exceed the total amount of such payments for fiscal year 2005 that were so used by the State.

(d) Limitation on use by States of non-Federal funds for foster care maintenance payments to match Federal funds
For any fiscal year beginning after September 30, 2007, State expenditures of non-Federal funds for foster care maintenance payments shall not be considered to be expenditures under the State plan developed under this subpart for the fiscal year to the extent that the total of such expenditures for the fiscal year exceeds the total of such expenditures under the State plan developed under this subpart for fiscal year 2005.

(e) 1 Limitation on reimbursement for administrative costs
A payment may not be made to a State under this section with respect to expenditures during a fiscal year for administrative costs, to the extent that the total amount of the expenditures exceeds 10 percent of the total expenditures of the State during the fiscal year for activities funded from amounts provided under this subpart.

(e) 1 Caseworker visitation standard

(1) The Secretary may not make a payment to a State under this subpart for a period in fiscal year 2008, unless the State has provided to the Secretary data which shows, for fiscal year 2007

(A) the percentage of children in foster care under the responsibility of the State who were visited on a monthly basis by the caseworker handling the case of the child; and

(B) the percentage of the visits that occurred in the residence of the child.

(2)

(A) Based on the data provided by a State pursuant to paragraph (1), the Secretary, in consultation with the State, shall establish, not later than June 30, 2008, an outline of the steps to be taken to ensure, by October 1, 2011, that at least 90 percent of the children in foster care under the responsibility of the State are visited by their caseworkers on a monthly basis, and that the majority of the visits occur in the residence of the child. The outline shall include target percentages to be reached each fiscal year, and should include a description of how the steps will be implemented. The steps may include activities designed to improve caseworker retention, recruitment, training, and ability to access the benefits of technology.

(B) Beginning October 1, 2008, if the Secretary determines that a State has not made the requisite progress in meeting the goal described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, then the percentage that shall apply for purposes of subsection (a) of this section for the period involved shall be the percentage set forth in such subsection (a) reduced by

(i) 1, if the number of full percentage points by which the State fell short of the target percentage established for the State for the period pursuant to such subparagraph is less than 10;

(ii) 3, if the number of full percentage points by which the State fell short, as described in clause (i), is not less than 10 and less than 20; or

(iii) 5, if the number of full percentage points by which the State fell short, as described in clause (i), is not less than 20.

[1] So in original. Two subsecs. (e) have been enacted.

42 USC 625 - Limitations on authorization of appropriations

To carry out this subpart, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary not more than $325,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2011.

42 USC 626 - Research, training, or demonstration projects

(a) Authorization of appropriations
There are hereby authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year such sums as the Congress may determine

(1) for grants by the Secretary

(A) to public or other nonprofit">nonprofit institutions of higher learning, and to public or other nonprofit">nonprofit agencies and organizations engaged in research or child-welfare activities, for special research or demonstration projects in the field of child welfare which are of regional or national significance and for special projects for the demonstration of new methods or facilities which show promise of substantial contribution to the advancement of child welfare;

(B) to State or local public agencies responsible for administering, or supervising the administration of, the plan under this part, for projects for the demonstration of the utilization of research (including findings resulting therefrom) in the field of child welfare in order to encourage experimental and special types of welfare services; and

(C) to public or other nonprofit">nonprofit institutions of higher learning for special projects for training personnel for work in the field of child welfare, including traineeships described in section 628a1 of this title with such stipends and allowances as may be permitted by the Secretary; and

(2) for contracts or jointly financed cooperative arrangements with States and public and other organizations and agencies for the conduct of research, special projects, or demonstration projects relating to such matters.

(b) Payments; advances or reimbursements; installments; conditions
Payments of grants or under contracts or cooperative arrangements under this section may be made in advance or by way of reimbursement, and in such installments, as the Secretary may determine; and shall be made on such conditions as the Secretary finds necessary to carry out the purposes of the grants, contracts, or other arrangements.

(c) Child welfare traineeships
The Secretary may approve an application for a grant to a public or nonprofit">nonprofit institution for higher learning to provide traineeships with stipends under subsection (a)(1)(C) only if the application

(1) provides assurances that each individual who receives a stipend with such traineeship (in this section referred to as a recipient) will enter into an agreement with the institution under which the recipient agrees

(A) to participate in training at a public or private nonprofit">nonprofit child welfare agency on a regular basis (as determined by the Secretary) for the period of the traineeship;

(B) to be employed for a period of years equivalent to the period of the traineeship, in a public or private nonprofit">nonprofit child welfare agency in any State, within a period of time (determined by the Secretary in accordance with regulations) after completing the postsecondary education for which the traineeship was awarded;

(D) if the recipient fails to comply with subparagraph (A) or (B) and does not qualify for any exception to this subparagraph which the Secretary may prescribe in regulations, to repay to the Secretary all (or an appropriately prorated part) of the amount of the stipend, plus interest, and, if applicable, reasonable collection fees (in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary);

(2) provides assurances that the institution will

(A) enter into agreements with child welfare agencies for onsite training of recipients;

(B) permit an individual who is employed in the field of child welfare services to apply for a traineeship with a stipend if the traineeship furthers the progress of the individual toward the completion of degree requirements; and

(C) develop and implement a system that, for the 3-year period that begins on the date any recipient completes a child welfare services program of study, tracks the employment record of the recipient, for the purpose of determining the percentage of recipients who secure employment in the field of child welfare services and remain employed in the field.

[1] See References in Text note below.

42 USC 627 - Repealed. Pub. L. 103432, title II, 202(c), Oct. 31, 1994, 108 Stat. 4454

Section, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 427, as added June 17, 1980, Pub. L. 96–272, title I, § 103(b), 94 Stat. 519; amended Dec. 19, 1989, Pub. L. 101–239, title X, § 10401(a), 103 Stat. 2487, related to foster care protection required for additional payments.

42 USC 628 - Payments to Indian tribal organizations

(a) Amounts
The Secretary may, in appropriate cases (as determined by the Secretary) make payments under this subpart directly to an Indian tribal organization within any State which has a plan for child welfare services approved under this subpart. Such payments shall be made in such manner and in such amounts as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.

(b) Inclusion in State allotment
Amounts paid under subsection (a) of this section shall be deemed to be a part of the allotment (as determined under section 623 of this title) for the State in which such Indian tribal organization is located.

(c) “Indian tribe” and “tribal organization” defined
For purposes of this section, the terms Indian tribe and tribal organization shall have the meanings given such terms by subsections (e) and (l) of section 450b of title 25, respectively.

42 USC 628a - Transferred

42 USC 628b - National random sample study of child welfare

(a) In general
The Secretary shall conduct (directly, or by grant, contract, or interagency agreement) a national study based on random samples of children who are at risk of child abuse or neglect, or are determined by States to have been abused or neglected.

(b) Requirements
The study required by subsection (a) of this section shall

(1) have a longitudinal component; and

(2) yield data reliable at the State level for as many States as the Secretary determines is feasible.

(1) carefully consider selecting the sample from cases of confirmed abuse or neglect; and

(2) follow each case for several years while obtaining information on, among other things

(A) the type of abuse or neglect involved;

(B) the frequency of contact with State or local agencies;

(D) the number, type, and characteristics of out-of-home placements of the child; and

(E) the average duration of each placement.

(d) Reports

(1) In general
From time to time, the Secretary shall prepare reports summarizing the results of the study required by subsection (a) of this section.

(2) Availability
The Secretary shall make available to the public any report prepared under paragraph (1), in writing or in the form of an electronic data tape.

(3) Authority to charge fee
The Secretary may charge and collect a fee for the furnishing of reports under paragraph (2).

(e) Appropriation
Out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated to the Secretary for each of fiscal years 1996 through 2002 $6,000,000 to carry out this section.

subpart 2 - promoting safe and stable families

42 USC 629 - Purpose

The purpose of this program is to enable States to develop and establish, or expand, and to operate coordinated programs of community-based family support services, family preservation services, time-limited family reunification services, and adoption promotion and support services to accomplish the following objectives:

(1) To prevent child maltreatment among families at risk through the provision of supportive family services.

(2) To assure childrens safety within the home and preserve intact families in which children have been maltreated, when the familys problems can be addressed effectively.

(3) To address the problems of families whose children have been placed in foster care so that reunification may occur in a safe and stable manner in accordance with the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997.

(4) To support adoptive families by providing support services as necessary so that they can make a lifetime commitment to their children.

42 USC 629a - Definitions

(a) In general
As used in this subpart:

(1) Family preservation services
The term family preservation services means services for children and families designed to help families (including adoptive and extended families) at risk or in crisis, including

(A) service programs designed to help children

(i) where safe and appropriate, return to families from which they have been removed; or

(ii) be placed for adoption, with a legal guardian, or, if adoption or legal guardianship is determined not to be safe and appropriate for a child, in some other planned, permanent living arrangement;

(B) preplacement preventive services programs, such as intensive family preservation programs, designed to help children at risk of foster care placement remain safely with their families;

(C) service programs designed to provide followup care to families to whom a child has been returned after a foster care placement;

(D) respite care of children to provide temporary relief for parents and other caregivers (including foster parents);

(E) services designed to improve parenting skills (by reinforcing parents confidence in their strengths, and helping them to identify where improvement is needed and to obtain assistance in improving those skills) with respect to matters such as child development, family budgeting, coping with stress, health, and nutrition; and

(F) infant safe haven programs to provide a way for a parent to safely relinquish a newborn infant at a safe haven designated pursuant to a State law.

(2) Family support services
The term family support services means community-based services to promote the safety and well-being of children and families designed to increase the strength and stability of families (including adoptive, foster, and extended families), to increase parents confidence and competence in their parenting abilities, to afford children a safe, stable, and supportive family environment, to strengthen parental relationships and promote healthy marriages, and otherwise to enhance child development.

(3) State agency
The term State agency means the State agency responsible for administering the program under subpart 1.

(4) State
The term State includes an Indian tribe or tribal organization, in addition to the meaning given such term for purposes of subpart 1.

(5) Tribal organization
The term tribal organization means the recognized governing body of any Indian tribe.

(6) Indian tribe
The term Indian tribe means any Indian tribe (as defined in section 682 (i)(5) of this title, as in effect before August 22, 1996) and any Alaska Native organization (as defined in section 682 (i)(7)(A) of this title, as so in effect).

(7) Time-limited family reunification services

(A) In general
The term time-limited family reunification services means the services and activities described in subparagraph (B) that are provided to a child that is removed from the childs home and placed in a foster family home or a child care institution and to the parents or primary caregiver of such a child, in order to facilitate the reunification of the child safely and appropriately within a timely fashion, but only during the 15-month period that begins on the date that the child, pursuant to section 675 (5)(F) of this title, is considered to have entered foster care.

(B) Services and activities described
The services and activities described in this subparagraph are the following:

(i) Individual, group, and family counseling.

(ii) Inpatient, residential, or outpatient substance abuse treatment services.

(iii) Mental health services.

(iv) Assistance to address domestic violence.

(v) Services designed to provide temporary child care and therapeutic services for families, including crisis nurseries.

(vi) Transportation to or from any of the services and activities described in this subparagraph.

(8) Adoption promotion and support services
The term adoption promotion and support services means services and activities designed to encourage more adoptions out of the foster care system, when adoptions promote the best interests of children, including such activities as pre- and post-adoptive services and activities designed to expedite the adoption process and support adoptive families.

(9) Non-Federal funds
The term non-Federal funds means State funds, or at the option of a State, State and local funds.

(b) Other terms
For other definitions of other terms used in this subpart, see section 675 of this title.

42 USC 629b - State plans

(a) Plan requirements
A State plan meets the requirements of this subsection if the plan

(1) provides that the State agency shall administer, or supervise the administration of, the State program under this subpart;

(2)

(A)

(i) sets forth the goals intended to be accomplished under the plan by the end of the 5th fiscal year in which the plan is in operation in the State, and

(ii) is updated periodically to set forth the goals intended to be accomplished under the plan by the end of each 5th fiscal year thereafter;

(B) describes the methods to be used in measuring progress toward accomplishment of the goals;

(i) after the end of each of the 1st 4 fiscal years covered by a set of goals, will perform an interim review of progress toward accomplishment of the goals, and on the basis of the interim review will revise the statement of goals in the plan, if necessary, to reflect changed circumstances; and

(ii) after the end of the last fiscal year covered by a set of goals, will perform a final review of progress toward accomplishment of the goals, and on the basis of the final review

(I) will prepare, transmit to the Secretary, and make available to the public a final report on progress toward accomplishment of the goals, and

(II) will develop (in consultation with the entities required to be consulted pursuant to subsection (b) of this section) and add to the plan a statement of the goals intended to be accomplished by the end of the 5th succeeding fiscal year;

(3) provides for coordination, to the extent feasible and appropriate, of the provision of services under the plan and the provision of services or benefits under other Federal or federally assisted programs serving the same populations;

(4) contains assurances that not more than 10 percent of expenditures under the plan for any fiscal year with respect to which the State is eligible for payment under section 629d of this title for the fiscal year shall be for administrative costs, and that the remaining expenditures shall be for programs of family preservation services, community-based family support services, time-limited family reunification services, and adoption promotion and support services, with significant portions of such expenditures for each such program;

(5) contains assurances that the State will

(A) annually prepare, furnish to the Secretary, and make available to the public a description (including separate descriptions with respect to family preservation services, community-based family support services, time-limited family reunification services, and adoption promotion and support services) of

(i) the service programs to be made available under the plan in the immediately succeeding fiscal year;

(ii) the populations which the programs will serve; and

(iii) the geographic areas in the State in which the services will be available; and

(B) perform the activities described in subparagraph (A)

(i) in the case of the 1st fiscal year under the plan, at the time the State submits its initial plan; and

(ii) in the case of each succeeding fiscal year, by the end of the 3rd quarter of the immediately preceding fiscal year;

(6) provides for such methods of administration as the Secretary finds to be necessary for the proper and efficient operation of the plan;

(7)

(A) contains assurances that Federal funds provided to the State under this subpart will not be used to supplant Federal or non-Federal funds for existing services and activities which promote the purposes of this subpart; and

(B) provides that the State will furnish reports to the Secretary, at such times, in such format, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, that demonstrate the States compliance with the prohibition contained in subparagraph (A);

(8)

(A) provides that the State agency will furnish such reports, containing such information, and participate in such evaluations, as the Secretary may require; and

(B) provides that, not later than June 30 of each year, the State will submit to the Secretary

(i) copies of forms CFS 101Part I and CFS 101Part II (or any successor forms) that report on planned child and family services expenditures by the agency for the immediately succeeding fiscal year; and

(ii) copies of forms CFS 101Part I and CFS 101Part II (or any successor forms) that provide, with respect to the programs authorized under this subpart and subpart 1 and, at State option, other programs included on such forms, for the most recent preceding fiscal year for which reporting of actual expenditures is complete

(I) the numbers of families and of children served by the State agency;

(II) the population served by the State agency;

(III) the geographic areas served by the State agency; and

(IV) the actual expenditures of funds provided to the State agency; and

(9) contains assurances that in administering and conducting service programs under the plan, the safety of the children to be served shall be of paramount concern.

(b) Approval of plans

(1) In general
The Secretary shall approve a plan that meets the requirements of subsection (a) of this section only if the plan was developed jointly by the Secretary and the State, after consultation by the State agency with appropriate public and nonprofit">nonprofit private agencies and community-based organizations with experience in administering programs of services for children and families (including family preservation, family support, time-limited family reunification, and adoption promotion and support services).

(2) Plans of Indian tribes or tribal consortia

(A) Exemption from inappropriate requirements
The Secretary may exempt a plan submitted by an Indian tribe or tribal consortium from the requirements of subsection (a)(4) of this section to the extent that the Secretary determines those requirements would be inappropriate to apply to the Indian tribe or tribal consortium, taking into account the resources, needs, and other circumstances of the Indian tribe or tribal consortium.

(B) Special rule
Notwithstanding subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, the Secretary may not approve a plan of an Indian tribe or tribal consortium under this subpart to which (but for this subparagraph) an allotment of less than $10,000 would be made under section 629c (a) of this title if allotments were made under section 629c (a) of this title to all Indian tribes and tribal consortia with plans approved under this subpart with the same or larger numbers of children.

(c) Annual submission of State reports to Congress
The Secretary shall compile the reports required under subsection (a)(8)(B) and, not later than September 30 of each year, submit such compilation to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate.

42 USC 629c - Allotments to States

(a) Indian tribes or tribal consortia
From the amount reserved pursuant to section 629f (b)(3) of this title for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each Indian tribe with a plan approved under this subpart an amount that bears the same ratio to such reserved amount as the number of children in the Indian tribe bears to the total number of children in all Indian tribes with State plans so approved, as determined by the Secretary on the basis of the most current and reliable information available to the Secretary. If a consortium of Indian tribes submits a plan approved under this subpart, the Secretary shall allot to the consortium an amount equal to the sum of the allotments determined for each Indian tribe that is part of the consortium.

(b) Territories
From the amount described in section 629f (a) of this title for any fiscal year that remains after applying section 629f (b) of this title for the fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each of the jurisdictions of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa an amount determined in the same manner as the allotment to each of such jurisdictions is determined under section 623 of this title.

(1) In general
From the amount described in section 629f (a) of this title for any fiscal year that remains after applying section 629f (b) of this title and subsection (b) of this section for the fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each State (other than an Indian tribe) which is not specified in subsection (b) of this section an amount equal to such remaining amount multiplied by the food stamp percentage of the State for the fiscal year.

(2) “Food stamp percentage” defined

(A) In general
As used in paragraph (1) of this subsection, the term food stamp percentage means, with respect to a State and a fiscal year, the average monthly number of children receiving food stamp benefits in the State for months in the 3 fiscal years referred to in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, as determined from sample surveys made under section 2025 (c) of title 7, expressed as a percentage of the average monthly number of children receiving food stamp benefits in the States described in such paragraph (1) for months in such 3 fiscal years, as so determined.

(B) Fiscal years used in calculation
For purposes of the calculation pursuant to subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall use data for the 3 most recent fiscal years, preceding the fiscal year for which the States allotment is calculated under this subsection, for which such data are available to the Secretary.

(d) Reallotments
The amount of any allotment to a State under subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this section for any fiscal year that the State certifies to the Secretary will not be required for carrying out the State plan under section 629b of this title shall be available for reallotment using the allotment methodology specified in subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this section. Any amount so reallotted to a State is deemed part of the allotment of the State under the preceding provisions of this section.

(e) Allotment of funds reserved to support monthly caseworker visits

(1) Territories
From the amount reserved pursuant to section 629f (b)(4)(A) of this title for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each jurisdiction specified in subsection (b) of this section, that has provided to the Secretary such documentation as may be necessary to verify that the jurisdiction has complied with section 629f (b)(4)(B)(ii) of this title during the fiscal year, an amount determined in the same manner as the allotment to each of such jurisdictions is determined under section 623 of this title (without regard to the initial allotment of $70,000 to each State).

(2) Other States
From the amount reserved pursuant to section 629f (b)(4)(A) of this title for any fiscal year that remains after applying paragraph (1) of this subsection for the fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each State (other than an Indian tribe) not specified in subsection (b) of this section, that has provided to the Secretary such documentation as may be necessary to verify that the State has complied with section 629f (b)(4)(B)(ii) of this title during the fiscal year, an amount equal to such remaining amount multiplied by the food stamp percentage of the State (as defined in subsection (c)(2) of this section) for the fiscal year, except that in applying subsection (c)(2)(A) of this section, subsection (e)(2) shall be substituted for such paragraph (1).

42 USC 629d - Payments to States

(a) Entitlement
Each State that has a plan approved under section 629b of this title shall, subject to subsection (d), be entitled to payment of the sum of

(1) the lesser of

(A) 75 percent of the total expenditures by the State for activities under the plan during the fiscal year or the immediately succeeding fiscal year; or

(B) the allotment of the State under subsection (a), (b), or (c) of section 629c of this title, whichever is applicable, for the fiscal year; and

(2) the lesser of

(A) 75 percent of the total expenditures by the State in accordance with section 629f (b)(4)(B) of this title during the fiscal year or the immediately succeeding fiscal year; or

(B) the allotment of the State under section 629c (e) of this title for the fiscal year.

(b) Prohibitions

(1) No use of other Federal funds for State match
Each State receiving an amount paid under subsection (a) of this section may not expend any Federal funds to meet the costs of services under the State plan under section 629b of this title not covered by the amount so paid.

(2) Availability of funds
A State may not expend any amount paid under subsection (a) of this section for any fiscal year after the end of the immediately succeeding fiscal year.

(c) Direct payments to tribal organizations of Indian tribes or tribal consortia
The Secretary shall pay any amount to which an Indian tribe or tribal consortium is entitled under this section directly to the tribal organization of the Indian tribe or in the case of a payment to a tribal consortium, such tribal organizations of, or entity established by, the Indian tribes that are part of the consortium as the consortium shall designate.

(d) Limitation on reimbursement for administrative costs
The Secretary shall not make a payment to a State under this section with respect to expenditures for administrative costs during a fiscal year, to the extent that the total amount of the expenditures exceeds 10 percent of the total expenditures of the State during the fiscal year under the State plan approved under section 629b of this title.

42 USC 629e - Evaluations; research; technical assistance

(a) Evaluations

(1) In general
The Secretary shall evaluate and report to the Congress biennially on the effectiveness of the programs carried out pursuant to this subpart in accomplishing the purposes of this subpart, and may evaluate any other Federal, State, or local program, regardless of whether federally assisted, that is designed to achieve the same purposes as the program under this subpart, in accordance with criteria established in accordance with paragraph (2).

(2) Criteria to be used
In developing the criteria to be used in evaluations under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult with appropriate parties, such as

(A) State agencies administering programs under this part and part E of this subchapter;

(B) persons administering child and family services programs (including family preservation and family support programs) for private, nonprofit">nonprofit organizations with an interest in child welfare; and

(C) other persons with recognized expertise in the evaluation of child and family services programs (including family preservation and family support programs) or other related programs.

(3) Timing of report
Beginning in 2003, the Secretary shall submit the biennial report required by this subsection not later than April 1 of every other year, and shall include in each such report the funding level, the status of ongoing evaluations, findings to date, and the nature of any technical assistance provided to States under subsection (d) of this section.

(b) Coordination of evaluations
The Secretary shall develop procedures to coordinate evaluations under this section, to the extent feasible, with evaluations by the States of the effectiveness of programs under this subpart.

(c) Evaluation, research, and technical assistance with respect to targeted program resources
Of the amount reserved under section 629f (b)(1) of this title for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall use not less than

(1) $1,000,000 for evaluations, research, and providing technical assistance with respect to supporting monthly caseworker visits with children who are in foster care under the responsibility of the State, in accordance with section 629f (b)(4)(B)(i) of this title; and

(2) $1,000,000 for evaluations, research, and providing technical assistance with respect to grants under section 629g (f) of this title.

(d) Technical assistance
To the extent funds are available therefor, the Secretary shall provide technical assistance that helps States and Indian tribes or tribal consortia to

(1) develop research-based protocols for identifying families at risk of abuse and neglect of use in the field;

(2) develop treatment models that address the needs of families at risk, particularly families with substance abuse issues;

(3) implement programs with well-articulated theories of how the intervention will result in desired changes among families at risk;

(4) establish mechanisms to ensure that service provision matches the treatment model; and

(5) establish mechanisms to ensure that postadoption services meet the needs of the individual families and develop models to reduce the disruption rates of adoption.

42 USC 629f - Authorization of appropriations; reservation of certain amounts

(a) Authorization
In addition to any amount otherwise made available to carry out this subpart, there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subpart $345,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2011^[1]

(b) Reservation of certain amounts
From the amount specified in subsection (a) of this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve amounts as follows:

(1) Evaluation, research, training, and technical assistance
The Secretary shall reserve $6,000,000 for expenditure by the Secretary

(A) for research, training, and technical assistance costs related to the program under this subpart; and

(B) for evaluation of State programs based on the plans approved under section 629b of this title and funded under this subpart, and any other Federal, State, or local program, regardless of whether federally assisted, that is designed to achieve the same purposes as the State programs.

(2) State court improvements
The Secretary shall reserve $10,000,000 for grants under section 629h of this title.

(3) Indian tribes or tribal consortia
After applying paragraphs (4) and (5) (but before applying paragraphs (1) or (2)), the Secretary shall reserve 3 percent for allotment to Indian tribes or tribal consortia in accordance with section 629c (a) of this title.

(4) Support for monthly caseworker visits

(A) Reservation
The Secretary shall reserve for allotment in accordance with section 629c (e) of this title

(i) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;

(ii) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; and

(iii) $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 and 2011.

(B) Use of funds

(i) In general A State to which an amount is paid from amounts reserved under subparagraph (A) shall use the amount to support monthly caseworker visits with children who are in foster care under the responsibility of the State, with a primary emphasis on activities designed to improve caseworker retention, recruitment, training, and ability to access the benefits of technology.

(ii) Nonsupplantation A State to which an amount is paid from amounts reserved pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall not use the amount to supplant any Federal funds paid to the State under part E that could be used as described in clause (i).

(5) Regional partnership grants
The Secretary shall reserve for awarding grants under section 629g (f) of this title

(A) $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;

(B) $35,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;

(D) $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 and 2011.

[1] So in original. Probably should be followed by a period.

42 USC 629g - Discretionary and targeted grants

(a) Limitations on authorization of appropriations
In addition to any amount appropriated pursuant to section 629f of this title, there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2011.

(b) Reservation of certain amounts
From the amount (if any) appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) of this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve amounts as follows:

(1) Evaluation, research, training, and technical assistance
The Secretary shall reserve 3.3 percent for expenditure by the Secretary for the activities described in section 629f (b)(1) of this title.

(2) State court improvements
The Secretary shall reserve 3.3 percent for grants under section 629h of this title.

(3) Indian tribes or tribal consortia
The Secretary shall reserve 3 percent for allotment to Indian tribes or tribal consortia in accordance with subsection (c)(1) of this section.

(1) Indian tribes or tribal consortia
From the amount (if any) reserved pursuant to subsection (b)(3) of this section for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each Indian tribe with a plan approved under this subpart an amount that bears the same ratio to such reserved amount as the number of children in the Indian tribe bears to the total number of children in all Indian tribes with State plans so approved, as determined by the Secretary on the basis of the most current and reliable information available to the Secretary. If a consortium of Indian tribes applies and is approved for a grant under this section, the Secretary shall allot to the consortium an amount equal to the sum of the allotments determined for each Indian tribe that is part of the consortium.

(2) Territories
From the amount (if any) appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) of this section for any fiscal year that remains after applying subection^[1] (b) of this section for the fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each of the jurisdictions of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa an amount determined in the same manner as the allotment to each of such jurisdictions is determined under section 623 of this title.

(3) Other States
From the amount (if any) appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) of this section for any fiscal year that remains after applying subsection (b) of this section and paragraph (2) of this subsection for the fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each State (other than an Indian tribe) which is not specified in paragraph (2) of this subsection an amount equal to such remaining amount multiplied by the food stamp percentage (as defined in section 629c (c)(2) of this title) of the State for the fiscal year.

(d) Grants
The Secretary may make a grant to a State which has a plan approved under this subpart in an amount equal to the lesser of

(1) 75 percent of the total expenditures by the State for activities under the plan during the fiscal year or the immediately succeeding fiscal year; or

(2) the allotment of the State under subsection (c) of this section for the fiscal year.

(e) Applicability of certain rules
The rules of subsections (b) and (c) of section 629d of this title shall apply in like manner to the amounts made available pursuant to subsection (a).

(f) Targeted grants to increase the well-being of, and to improve the permanency outcomes for, children affected by methamphetamine or other substance abuse

(1) Purpose
The purpose of this subsection is to authorize the Secretary to make competitive grants to regional partnerships to provide, through interagency collaboration and integration of programs and services, services and activities that are designed to increase the well-being of, improve permanency outcomes for, and enhance the safety of children who are in an out-of-home placement or are at risk of being placed in an out-of-home placement as a result of a parents or caretakers methamphetamine or other substance abuse.

(2) Regional partnership defined

(A) In general
In this subsection, the term regional partnership means a collaborative agreement (which may be established on an interstate or intrastate basis) entered into by at least 2 of the following:

(i) The State child welfare agency that is responsible for the administration of the State plan under this part and part E.

(ii) The State agency responsible for administering the substance abuse prevention and treatment block grant provided under subpart II of part B of title XIX of the Public Health Service Act [42 U.S.C. 300x–21 et seq.].

(iii) An Indian tribe or tribal consortium.

(iv) Nonprofit child welfare service providers.

(v) For-profit child welfare service providers.

(vi) Community health service providers.

(vii) Community mental health providers.

(viii) Local law enforcement agencies.

(ix) Judges and court personnel.

(x) Juvenile justice officials.

(xi) School personnel.

(xii) Tribal child welfare agencies (or a consortia of such agencies).

(xiii) Any other providers, agencies, personnel, officials, or entities that are related to the provision of child and family services under this subpart.

(B) Requirements

(i) State child welfare agency partner Subject to clause (ii)(I), a regional partnership entered into for purposes of this subsection shall include the State child welfare agency that is responsible for the administration of the State plan under this part and part E as 1 of the partners.

(ii) Regional partnerships entered into by Indian tribes or tribal consortia If an Indian tribe or tribal consortium enters into a regional partnership for purposes of this subsection, the Indian tribe or tribal consortium

(I) may (but is not required to) include such State child welfare agency as a partner in the collaborative agreement; and

(II) may not enter into a collaborative agreement only with tribal child welfare agencies (or a consortium of such agencies).

(iii) No State agency only partnerships If a State agency described in clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (A) enters into a regional partnership for purposes of this subsection, the State agency may not enter into a collaborative agreement only with the other State agency described in such clause (i) or (ii).

(3) Authority to award grants

(A) In general
In addition to amounts authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, the Secretary shall award grants under this subsection, from the amounts reserved for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2011 under section 629f (b)(5) of this title, to regional partnerships that satisfy the requirements of this subsection, in amounts that are not less than $500,000 and not more than $1,000,000 per grant per fiscal year.

(B) Required minimum period of approval
A grant shall be awarded under this subsection for a period of not less than 2, and not more than 5, fiscal years.

(4) Application requirements
To be eligible for a grant under this subsection, a regional partnership shall submit to the Secretary a written application containing the following:

(A) Recent evidence demonstrating that methamphetamine or other substance abuse has had a substantial impact on the number of out-of-home placements for children, or the number of children who are at risk of being placed in an out-of-home placement, in the partnership region.

(B) A description of the goals and outcomes to be achieved during the funding period for the grant that will

(i) enhance the well-being of children receiving services or taking part in activities conducted with funds provided under the grant;

(ii) lead to safety and permanence for such children; and

(iii) decrease the number of out-of-home placements for children, or the number of children who are at risk of being placed in an out-of-home placement, in the partnership region.

(C) A description of the joint activities to be funded in whole or in part with the funds provided under the grant, including the sequencing of the activities proposed to be conducted under the funding period for the grant.

(D) A description of the strategies for integrating programs and services determined to be appropriate for the child and where appropriate, the childs family.

(E) A description of the strategies for

(i) collaborating with the State child welfare agency described in paragraph (2)(A)(i) (unless that agency is the lead applicant for the regional partnership); and

(ii) consulting, as appropriate, with

(I) the State agency described in paragraph (2)(A)(ii); and

(II) the State law enforcement and judicial agencies.

To the extent the Secretary determines that the requirement of this subparagraph would be inappropriate to apply to a regional partnership that includes an Indian tribe, tribal consortium, or a tribal child welfare agency or a consortium of such agencies, the Secretary may exempt the regional partnership from the requirement.

(F) Such other information as the Secretary may require.

(5) Use of funds
Funds made available under a grant made under this subsection shall only be used for services or activities that are consistent with the purpose of this subsection and may include the following:

(A) Family-based comprehensive long-term substance abuse treatment services.

(B) Early intervention and preventative services.

(D) Mental health services.

(E) Parenting skills training.

(F) Replication of successful models for providing family-based comprehensive long-term substance abuse treatment services.

(6) Matching requirement

(A) Federal share
A grant awarded under this subsection shall be available to pay a percentage share of the costs of services provided or activities conducted under such grant, not to exceed

(i) 85 percent for the first and second fiscal years for which the grant is awarded to a recipient;

(ii) 80 percent for the third and fourth such fiscal years; and

(iii) 75 percent for the fifth such fiscal year.

(B) Non-Federal share
The non-Federal share of the cost of services provided or activities conducted under a grant awarded under this subsection may be in cash or in kind. In determining the amount of the non-Federal share, the Secretary may attribute fair market value to goods, services, and facilities contributed from non-Federal sources.

(7) Considerations in awarding grants
In awarding grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall

(A) take into consideration the extent to which applicant regional partnerships

(i) demonstrate that methamphetamine or other substance abuse by parents or caretakers has had a substantial impact on the number of out-of-home placements for children, or the number of children who are at risk of being placed in an out-of-home placement, in the partnership region;

(ii) have limited resources for addressing the needs of children affected by such abuse;

(iii) have a lack of capacity for, or access to, comprehensive family treatment services; and

(iv) demonstrate a plan for sustaining the services provided by or activities funded under the grant after the conclusion of the grant period; and

(B) after taking such factors into consideration, give greater weight to awarding grants to regional partnerships that propose to address methamphetamine abuse and addiction in the partnership region (alone or in combination with other drug abuse and addiction) and which demonstrate that methamphetamine abuse and addiction (alone or in combination with other drug abuse and addiction) is adversely affecting child welfare in the partnership region.

(8) Performance indicators

(A) In general
Not later than 9 months after September 28, 2006, the Secretary shall establish indicators that will be used to assess periodically the performance of the grant recipients under this subsection in using funds made available under such grants to achieve the purpose of this subsection.

(B) Consultation required
In establishing the performance indicators required by subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall consult with the following:

(i) The Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families.

(ii) The Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

(iii) Representatives of States in which a State agency described in clause (i) or (ii) of paragraph (2)(A) is a member of a regional partnership that is a grant recipient under this subsection.

(iv) Representatives of Indian tribes, tribal consortia, or tribal child welfare agencies that are members of a regional partnership that is a grant recipient under this subsection.

(9) Reports

(A) Grantee reports

(i) Annual report Not later than September 30 of the first fiscal year in which a recipient of a grant under this subsection is paid funds under the grant, and annually thereafter until September 30 of the last fiscal year in which the recipient is paid funds under the grant, the recipient shall submit to the Secretary a report on the services provided or activities carried out during that fiscal year with such funds. The report shall contain such information as the Secretary determines is necessary to provide an accurate description of the services provided or activities conducted with such funds.

(ii) Incorporation of information related to performance indicators Each recipient of a grant under this subsection shall incorporate into the first annual report required by clause (i) that is submitted after the establishment of performance indicators under paragraph (8), information required in relation to such indicators.

(B) Reports to Congress
On the basis of the reports submitted under subparagraph (A), the Secretary annually shall submit to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate a report on

(i) the services provided and activities conducted with funds provided under grants awarded under this subsection;

(ii) the performance indicators established under paragraph (8); and

(iii) the progress that has been made in addressing the needs of families with methamphetamine or other substance abuse problems who come to the attention of the child welfare system and in achieving the goals of child safety, permanence, and family stability.

[1] So in original. Probably should be “subsection”.

42 USC 629h - Entitlement funding for State courts to assess and improve handling of proceedings relating to foster care and adoption

(a) In general
The Secretary shall make grants, in accordance with this section, to the highest State courts in States participating in the program under part E of this subchapter, for the purpose of enabling such courts

(1) to conduct assessments, in accordance with such requirements as the Secretary shall publish, of the role, responsibilities, and effectiveness of State courts in carrying out State laws requiring proceedings (conducted by or under the supervision of the courts)

(A) that implement this part and part E of this subchapter;

(B) that determine the advisability or appropriateness of foster care placement;

(D) that determine whether to approve the adoption or other permanent placement of a child;^[1]

(E) that determine the best strategy to use to expedite the interstate placement of children, including

(i) requiring courts in different States to cooperate in the sharing of information;

(ii) authorizing courts to obtain information and testimony from agencies and parties in other States without requiring interstate travel by the agencies and parties; and

(iii) permitting the participation of parents, children, other necessary parties, and attorneys in cases involving interstate placement without requiring their interstate travel; and^[2]

(2) to implement improvements the highest state^[3] courts deem necessary as a result of the assessments, including

(A) to provide for the safety, well-being, and permanence of children in foster care, as set forth in the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (Public Law 10589); and

(B) to implement a corrective action plan, as necessary, resulting from reviews of child and family service programs under section 1320a–2a of this title;

(3) to ensure that the safety, permanence, and well-being needs of children are met in a timely and complete manner; and

(4) to provide for the training of judges, attorneys and other legal personnel in child welfare cases.

(b) Applications

(1) In general
In order to be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a highest State court shall have in effect a rule requiring State courts to ensure that foster parents, pre-adoptive parents, and relative caregivers of a child in foster care under the responsibility of the State are notified of any proceeding to be held with respect to the child, and shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such form, and including such information and assurances as the Secretary may require, including

(A) in the case of a grant for the purpose described in subsection (a)(3), a description of how courts and child welfare agencies on the local and State levels will collaborate and jointly plan for the collection and sharing of all relevant data and information to demonstrate how improved case tracking and analysis of child abuse and neglect cases will produce safe and timely permanency decisions;

(B) in the case of a grant for the purpose described in subsection (a)(4), a demonstration that a portion of the grant will be used for cross-training initiatives that are jointly planned and executed with the State agency or any other agency under contract with the State to administer the State program under the State plan under subpart 1, the State plan approved under section 629d of this title, or the State plan approved under part E; and

(C) in the case of a grant for any purpose described in subsection (a), a demonstration of meaningful and ongoing collaboration among the courts in the State, the State agency or any other agency under contract with the State who is responsible for administering the State program under this part or part E, and, where applicable, Indian tribes.

(2) Separate applications
A highest State court desiring grants under this section for 2 or more purposes shall submit separate applications for the following grants:

(A) A grant for the purposes described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a).

(B) A grant for the purpose described in subsection (a)(3).

(1) Grants to assess and improve handling of court proceedings relating to foster care and adoption

(A) In general
Each highest State court which has an application approved under subsection (b) of this section for a grant described in subsection (b)(2)(A) of this section, and is conducting assessment and improvement activities in accordance with this section, shall be entitled to payment, for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2011, from the amount reserved pursuant to section 629f (b)(2) of this title (and the amount, if any, reserved pursuant to section 629g (b)(2) of this title), of an amount equal to the sum of $85,000 plus the amount described in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph for the fiscal year.

(B) Formula
The amount described in this subparagraph for any fiscal year is the amount that bears the same ratio to the amount reserved pursuant to section 629f (b)(2) of this title (and the amount, if any, reserved pursuant to section 629g (b)(2) of this title) for the fiscal year (reduced by the dollar amount specified in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph for the fiscal year) as the number of individuals in the State who have not attained 21 years of age bears to the total number of such individuals in all States the highest State courts of which have approved applications under subsection (b) for such a grant.

(2) Grants for improved data collection and training

(A) In general
Each highest State court which has an application approved under subsection (b) of this section for a grant referred to in subparagraph (B) or (C) of subsection (b)(2) shall be entitled to payment, for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2010, from the amount made available under whichever of paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (e) applies with respect to the grant, of an amount equal to the sum of $85,000 plus the amount described in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph for the fiscal year with respect to the grant.

(B) Formula
The amount described in this subparagraph for any fiscal year with respect to a grant referred to in subparagraph (B) or (C) of subsection (b)(2) is the amount that bears the same ratio to the amount made available under subsection (e) for such a grant (reduced by the dollar amount specified in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph) as the number of individuals in the State who have not attained 21 years of age bears to the total number of such individuals in all States the highest State courts of which have approved applications under subsection (b) for such a grant.

(d) Federal share
Each highest State court which receives funds paid under this section may use such funds to pay not more than 75 percent of the cost of activities under this section in each of fiscal years 2002 through 2011.

(e) Funding for grants for improved data collection and training
Out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated to the Secretary, for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2010

(1) $10,000,000 for grants referred to in subsection (b)(2)(B); and

(2) $10,000,000 for grants referred to in subsection (b)(2)(C).

[1] So in original. Probably should be followed by “and”.
[2] So in original. The word “and” probably should not appear.
[3] So in original. Probably should be capitalized.

42 USC 629i - Grants for programs for mentoring children of prisoners

(a) Findings and purposes

(1) Findings

(A) In the period between 1991 and 1999, the number of children with a parent incarcerated in a Federal or State correctional facility increased by more than 100 percent, from approximately 900,000 to approximately 2,000,000. In 1999, 2.1 percent of all children in the United States had a parent in Federal or State prison.

(B) Prior to incarceration, 64 percent of female prisoners and 44 percent of male prisoners in State facilities lived with their children.

(C) Nearly 90 percent of the children of incarcerated fathers live with their mothers, and 79 percent of the children of incarcerated mothers live with a grandparent or other relative.

(D) Parental arrest and confinement lead to stress, trauma, stigmatization, and separation problems for children. These problems are coupled with existing problems that include poverty, violence, parental substance abuse, high-crime environments, intrafamilial abuse, child abuse and neglect, multiple care givers, and/or prior separations. As a result, these children often exhibit a broad variety of behavioral, emotional, health, and educational problems that are often compounded by the pain of separation.

(E) Empirical research demonstrates that mentoring is a potent force for improving childrens behavior across all risk behaviors affecting health. Quality, one-on-one relationships that provide young people with caring role models for future success have profound, life-changing potential. Done right, mentoring markedly advances youths life prospects. A widely cited 1995 study by Public/Private Ventures measured the impact of one Big Brothers Big Sisters program and found significant effects in the lives of youthcutting first-time drug use by almost half and first-time alcohol use by about a third, reducing school absenteeism by half, cutting assaultive behavior by a third, improving parental and peer relationships, giving youth greater confidence in their school work, and improving academic performance.

(2) Purposes
The purposes of this section are to authorize the Secretary

(A) to make competitive grants to applicants in areas with substantial numbers of children of incarcerated parents, to support the establishment or expansion and operation of programs using a network of public and private community entities to provide mentoring services for children of prisoners; and

(B) to enter into on a competitive basis a cooperative agreement to conduct a service delivery demonstration project in accordance with the requirements of subsection (g).

(b) Definitions
In this section:

(1) Children of prisoners
The term children of prisoners means children one or both of whose parents are incarcerated in a Federal, State, or local correctional facility. The term is deemed to include children who are in an ongoing mentoring relationship in a program under this section at the time of their parents release from prison, for purposes of continued participation in the program.

(2) Mentoring
The term mentoring means a structured, managed program in which children are appropriately matched with screened and trained adult volunteers for one-on-one relationships, involving meetings and activities on a regular basis, intended to meet, in part, the childs need for involvement with a caring and supportive adult who provides a positive role model.

(3) Mentoring services
The term mentoring services means those services and activities that support a structured, managed program of mentoring, including the management by trained personnel of outreach to, and screening of, eligible children; outreach to, education and training of, and liaison with sponsoring local organizations; screening and training of adult volunteers; matching of children with suitable adult volunteer mentors; support and oversight of the mentoring relationship; and establishment of goals and evaluation of outcomes for mentored children.

(c) Program authorized
From the amounts appropriated under subsection (i) of this section for a fiscal year that remain after applying subsection (i)(2) of this section, the Secretary shall make grants under this section for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2011 to State or local governments, tribal governments or tribal consortia, faith-based organizations, and community-based organizations in areas that have significant numbers of children of prisoners and that submit applications meeting the requirements of this section, in amounts that do not exceed $5,000,000 per grant.

(d) Application requirements
In order to be eligible for a grant under this section, the chief executive officer of the applicant must submit to the Secretary an application containing the following:

(1) Program design
A description of the proposed program, including

(A) a list of local public and private organizations and entities that will participate in the mentoring network;

(B) the name, description, and qualifications of the entity that will coordinate and oversee the activities of the mentoring network;

(D) such information as the Secretary may require concerning the methods to be used to recruit, screen support, and oversee individuals participating as mentors, (which methods shall include criminal background checks on the individuals), and to evaluate outcomes for participating children, including information necessary to demonstrate compliance with requirements established by the Secretary for the program; and

(E) such other information as the Secretary may require.

(2) Community consultation; coordination with other programs
A demonstration that, in developing and implementing the program, the applicant will, to the extent feasible and appropriate

(A) consult with public and private community entities, including religious organizations, and including, as appropriate, Indian tribal organizations and urban Indian organizations, and with family members of potential clients;

(B) coordinate the programs and activities under the program with other Federal, State, and local programs serving children and youth; and

(C) consult with appropriate Federal, State, and local corrections, workforce development, and substance abuse and mental health agencies.

(3) Equal access for local service providers
An assurance that public and private entities and community organizations, including religious organizations and Indian organizations, will be eligible to participate on an equal basis.

(4) Records, reports, and audits
An agreement that the applicant will maintain such records, make such reports, and cooperate with such reviews or audits as the Secretary may find necessary for purposes of oversight of project activities and expenditures.

(5) Evaluation
An agreement that the applicant will cooperate fully with the Secretarys ongoing and final evaluation of the program under the plan, by means including providing the Secretary access to the program and program-related records and documents, staff, and grantees receiving funding under the plan.

(e) Federal share

(1) In general
A grant for a program under this section shall be available to pay a percentage share of the costs of the program up to

(A) 75 percent for the first and second fiscal years for which the grant is awarded; and

(B) 50 percent for the third and each succeeding such fiscal years.

(2) Non-Federal share
The non-Federal share of the cost of projects under this section may be in cash or in kind. In determining the amount of the non-Federal share, the Secretary may attribute fair market value to goods, services, and facilities contributed from non-Federal sources.

(f) Considerations in awarding grants
In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall take into consideration

(1) the qualifications and capacity of applicants and networks of organizations to effectively carry out a mentoring program under this section;

(2) the comparative severity of need for mentoring services in local areas, taking into consideration data on the numbers of children (and in particular of low-income children) with an incarcerated parents^[1] (or parents) in the areas;

(3) evidence of consultation with existing youth and family service programs, as appropriate; and

(4) any other factors the Secretary may deem significant with respect to the need for or the potential success of carrying out a mentoring program under this section.

(g) Service delivery demonstration project

(1) Purpose; authority to enter into cooperative agreement
The Secretary shall enter into a cooperative agreement with an eligible entity that meets the requirements of paragraph (2) for the purpose of requiring the entity to conduct a demonstration project consistent with this subsection under which the entity shall

(A) identify children of prisoners in need of mentoring services who have not been matched with a mentor by an applicant awarded a grant under this section, with a priority for identifying children who

(i) reside in an area not served by a recipient of a grant under this section;

(ii) reside in an area that has a substantial number of children of prisoners;

(iii) reside in a rural area; or

(iv) are Indians;

(B) provide the families of the children so identified with

(i) a voucher for mentoring services that meets the requirements of paragraph (5); and

(ii) a list of the providers of mentoring services in the area in which the family resides that satisfy the requirements of paragraph (6); and

(2) Eligible entity

(A) In general
Subject to subparagraph (B), an eligible entity under this subsection is an organization that the Secretary determines, on a competitive basis

(i) has substantial experience

(I) in working with organizations that provide mentoring services for children of prisoners; and

(II) in developing quality standards for the identification and assessment of mentoring programs for children of prisoners; and

(ii) submits an application that satisfies the requirements of paragraph (3).

(B) Limitation
An organization that provides mentoring services may not be an eligible entity for purposes of being awarded a cooperative agreement under this subsection.

(3) Application requirements
To be eligible to be awarded a cooperative agreement under this subsection, an entity shall submit to the Secretary an application that includes the following:

(A) Qualifications
Evidence that the entity

(i) meets the experience requirements of paragraph (2)(A)(i); and

(ii) is able to carry out

(I) the purposes of this subsection identified in paragraph (1); and

(II) the requirements of the cooperative agreement specified in paragraph (4).

(B) Service delivery plan

(i) Distribution requirements Subject to clause (iii), a description of the plan of the entity to ensure the distribution of not less than

(I) 3,000 vouchers for mentoring services in the first year in which the cooperative agreement is in effect with that entity;

(II) 8,000 vouchers for mentoring services in the second year in which the agreement is in effect with that entity; and

(III) 13,000 vouchers for mentoring services in any subsequent year in which the agreement is in effect with that entity.

(ii) Satisfaction of priorities A description of how the plan will ensure the delivery of mentoring services to children identified in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (1)(A).

(iii) Secretarial authority to modify distribution requirement The Secretary may modify the number of vouchers specified in subclauses (I) through (III) of clause (i) to take into account the availability of appropriations and the need to ensure that the vouchers distributed by the entity are for amounts that are adequate to ensure the provision of mentoring services for a 12-month period.

(C) Collaboration and cooperation
A description of how the entity will ensure collaboration and cooperation with other interested parties, including courts and prisons, with respect to the delivery of mentoring services under the demonstration project.

(D) Other
Any other information that the Secretary may find necessary to demonstrate the capacity of the entity to satisfy the requirements of this subsection.

(4) Cooperative agreement requirements
A cooperative agreement awarded under this subsection shall require the eligible entity to do the following:

(A) Identify quality standards for providers
To work with the Secretary to identify the quality standards that a provider of mentoring services must meet in order to participate in the demonstration project and which, at a minimum, shall include criminal records checks for individuals who are prospective mentors and shall prohibit approving any individual to be a mentor if the criminal records check of the individual reveals a conviction which would prevent the individual from being approved as a foster or adoptive parent under section 671 (a)(20)(A) of this title.

(B) Identify eligible providers
To identify and compile a list of those providers of mentoring services in any of the 50 States or the District of Columbia that meet the quality standards identified pursuant to subparagraph (A).

(C) Identify eligible children
To identify children of prisoners who require mentoring services, consistent with the priorities specified in paragraph (1)(A).

(D) Monitor and oversee delivery of mentoring services
To satisfy specific requirements of the Secretary for monitoring and overseeing the delivery of mentoring services under the demonstration project, which shall include a requirement to ensure that providers of mentoring services under the project report data on the children served and the types of mentoring services provided.

(E) Records, reports, and audits
To maintain any records, make any reports, and cooperate with any reviews and audits that the Secretary determines are necessary to oversee the activities of the entity in carrying out the demonstration project under this subsection.

(F) Evaluations
To cooperate fully with any evaluations of the demonstration project, including collecting and monitoring data and providing the Secretary or the Secretarys designee with access to records and staff related to the conduct of the project.

(G) Limitation on administrative expenditures
To ensure that administrative expenditures incurred by the entity in conducting the demonstration project with respect to a fiscal year do not exceed the amount equal to 10 percent of the amount awarded to carry out the project for that year.

(5) Voucher requirements
A voucher for mentoring services provided to the family of a child identified in accordance with paragraph (1)(A) shall meet the following requirements:

(A) Total payment amount; 12-month service period
The voucher shall specify the total amount to be paid a provider of mentoring services for providing the child on whose behalf the voucher is issued with mentoring services for a 12-month period.

(B) Periodic payments as services provided

(i) In general The voucher shall specify that it may be redeemed with the eligible entity by the provider accepting the voucher in return for agreeing to provide mentoring services for the child on whose behalf the voucher is issued.

(ii) Demonstration of the provision of services A provider that redeems a voucher issued by the eligible entity shall receive periodic payments from the eligible entity during the 12-month period that the voucher is in effect upon demonstration of the provision of significant services and activities related to the provision of mentoring services to the child on whose behalf the voucher is issued.

(6) Provider requirements
In order to participate in the demonstration project, a provider of mentoring services shall

(A) meet the quality standards identified by the eligible entity in accordance with paragraph (1);

(B) agree to accept a voucher meeting the requirements of paragraph (5) as payment for the provision of mentoring services to a child on whose behalf the voucher is issued;

(C) demonstrate that the provider has the capacity, and has or will have nonfederal resources, to continue supporting the provision of mentoring services to the child on whose behalf the voucher is issued, as appropriate, after the conclusion of the 12-month period during which the voucher is in effect; and

(D) if the provider is a recipient of a grant under this section, demonstrate that the provider has exhausted its capacity for providing mentoring services under the grant.

(7) 3-year period; option for renewal

(A) In general
A cooperative agreement awarded under this subsection shall be effective for a 3-year period.

(B) Renewal
The cooperative agreement may be renewed for an additional period, not to exceed 2 years and subject to any conditions that the Secretary may specify that are not inconsistent with the requirements of this subsection or subsection (i)(2)(B), if the Secretary determines that the entity has satisfied the requirements of the agreement and evaluations of the service delivery demonstration project demonstrate that the voucher service delivery method is effective in providing mentoring services to children of prisoners.

(8) Independent evaluation and report

(A) In general
The Secretary shall enter into a contract with an independent, private organization to evaluate and prepare a report on the first 2 fiscal years in which the demonstration project is conducted under this subsection.

(B) Deadline for report
Not later than 90 days after the end of the second fiscal year in which the demonstration project is conducted under this subsection, the Secretary shall submit the report required under subparagraph (A) to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate. The report shall include

(i) the number of children as of the end of such second fiscal year who received vouchers for mentoring services; and

(ii) any conclusions regarding the use of vouchers for the delivery of mentoring services for children of prisoners.

(9) No effect on eligibility for other Federal assistance
A voucher provided to a family under the demonstration project conducted under this subsection shall be disregarded for purposes of determining the eligibility for, or the amount of, any other Federal or federally-supported assistance for the family.

(h) Independent evaluation; reports

(1) Independent evaluation
The Secretary shall conduct by grant, contract, or cooperative agreement an independent evaluation of the programs authorized under this section, including the service delivery demonstration project authorized under subsection (g).

(2) Reports
Not later than 12 months after September 28, 2006, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Congress that includes the following:

(A) The characteristics of the mentoring programs funded under this section.

(B) The plan for implementation of the service delivery demonstration project authorized under subsection (g).

(C) A description of the outcome-based evaluation of the programs authorized under this section that the Secretary is conducting as of September 28, 2006, and how the evaluation has been expanded to include an evaluation of the demonstration project authorized under subsection (g).

(D) The date on which the Secretary shall submit a final report on the evaluation to the Congress.

(i) Authorization of appropriations; reservations of certain amounts

(1) Limitations on authorization of appropriations
To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2007 through 2011.

(2) Reservations

(A) Research, technical assistance, and evaluation
The Secretary shall reserve 4 percent of the amount appropriated for each fiscal year under paragraph (1) for expenditure by the Secretary for research, technical assistance, and evaluation related to programs under this section.

(B) Service delivery demonstration project

(i) In general Subject to clause (ii), for purposes of awarding a cooperative agreement to conduct the service delivery demonstration project authorized under subsection (g), the Secretary shall reserve not more than

(I) $5,000,000 of the amount appropriated under paragraph (1) for the first fiscal year in which funds are to be awarded for the agreement;

(II) $10,000,000 of the amount appropriated under paragraph (1) for the second fiscal year in which funds are to be awarded for the agreement; and

(III) $15,000,000 of the amount appropriated under paragraph (1) for the third fiscal year in which funds are to be awarded for the agreement.

(ii) Assurance of funding for general program grants With respect to any fiscal year, no funds may be awarded for a cooperative agreement under subsection (g), unless at least $25,000,000 of the amount appropriated under paragraph (1) for that fiscal year is used by the Secretary for making grants under this section for that fiscal year.

[1] So in original. Probably should be “parent”.

Part C - Work Incentive Program for Recipients of Aid Under State Plan Approved Under Part A

630 to 632. Repealed. Pub. L. 100485, title II, 202(a), Oct. 13, 1988, 102 Stat. 2377

Section 630, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 430, as added Jan. 2, 1968, Pub. L. 90–248, title II, § 204(a), 81 Stat. 884; amended Dec. 28, 1971, Pub. L. 92–223, § 3(b)(1), 85 Stat. 805, provided statement of purpose for work incentive program for recipients of aid under State plan approved under part A. Section 631, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 431, as added Jan. 2, 1968, Pub. L. 90–248, title II, § 204(a), 81 Stat. 884; amended Dec. 28, 1971, Pub. L. 92–223, § 3(b)(2), 85 Stat. 805; July 18, 1984, Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VI, 2663(j)(2)(B)(ii), 98 Stat. 1170, authorized appropriations. Section 632, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 432, as added Jan. 2, 1968, Pub. L. 90–248, title II, § 204(a), 81 Stat. 884; amended Dec. 28, 1971, Pub. L. 92–223, § 3(b)(3), 85 Stat. 806; Oct. 13, 1982, Pub. L. 97–300, title V, § 502(a), (b)(1), (c)(1), 96 Stat. 1397, 1398; July 18, 1984, Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VI, 2663(k), 98 Stat. 1171, established work incentive programs.

42 USC 632a - Omitted

633 to 645. Repealed. Pub. L. 100485, title II, 202(a), Oct. 13, 1988, 102 Stat. 2377

Section 633, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 433, as added Jan. 2, 1968, Pub. L. 90–248, title II, § 204(a), 81 Stat. 885; amended Dec. 28, 1971, Pub. L. 92–223, § 3(b)(4)(A)(F), 85 Stat. 806, 807; Oct. 13, 1982, Pub. L. 97–300, title V, § 502(b)(2), (c)(2), (3), 96 Stat. 1398; July 18, 1984, Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VI, 2663(k), 98 Stat. 1171, related to operation of programs. Section 634, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 434, as added Jan. 2, 1968, Pub. L. 90–248, title II, § 204(a), 81 Stat. 887; amended Dec. 28, 1971, Pub. L. 92–223, § 3(b)(4)(G), 85 Stat. 808; July 18, 1984, Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VI, 2663(k), 98 Stat. 1171, related to incentive payments and allowances for transportation and other costs. Section 635, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 435, as added Jan. 2, 1968, Pub. L. 90–248, title II, § 204(a), 81 Stat. 887; amended Dec. 28, 1971, Pub. L. 92–223, § 3(b)(5), 85 Stat. 808, limited Federal assistance. Section 636, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 436, as added Jan. 2, 1968, Pub. L. 90–248, title II, § 204(a), 81 Stat. 887; amended Dec. 28, 1971, Pub. L. 92–223, § 3(b)(6), 85 Stat. 808; July 18, 1984, Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VI, 2663(j)(2)(B)(iii), 98 Stat. 1170, related to period of enrollment. Section 637, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 437, as added Jan. 2, 1968, Pub. L. 90–248, title II, § 204(a), 81 Stat. 887, related to relocation of participants. Section 638, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 438, as added Jan. 2, 1968, Pub. L. 90–248, title II, § 204(a), 81 Stat. 887; amended Dec. 28, 1971, Pub. L. 92–223, § 3(b)(7), 85 Stat. 808, provided that participants in programs were not Federal employees. Section 639, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 439, as added Jan. 2, 1968, Pub. L. 90–248, title II, § 204(a), 81 Stat. 888; amended Dec. 28, 1971, Pub. L. 92–223, § 3(b)(8), 85 Stat. 808; July 18, 1984, Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VI, 2663(j)(2)(B)(iv), 98 Stat. 1170, related to rules and regulations. Section 640, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 440, as added Jan. 2, 1968, Pub. L. 90–248, title II, § 204(a), 81 Stat. 888, required annual report. Section 641, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 441, as added Jan. 2, 1968, Pub. L. 90–248, title II, § 204(a), 81 Stat. 888; amended Dec. 28, 1971, Pub. L. 92–223, § 3(b)(9), 85 Stat. 808; July 18, 1984, Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VI, 2663(c)(9), (j)(2)(B)(v), 98 Stat. 1166, 1170, related to evaluation and research. Section 642, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 442, as added Jan. 2, 1968, Pub. L. 90–248, title II, § 204(a), 81 Stat. 888; amended Dec. 28, 1971, Pub. L. 92–223, § 3(b)(10), 85 Stat. 808, related to technical assistance for providers of employment or training. Section 643, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 443, as added Jan. 2, 1968, Pub. L. 90–248, title II, § 204(a), 81 Stat. 888; amended Dec. 28, 1971, Pub. L. 92–223, § 3(b)(11), 85 Stat. 808; July 18, 1984, Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VI, 2663(j)(2)(B)(vi), 98 Stat. 1170, related to collection of State share. Section 644, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 444, as added Jan. 2, 1968, Pub. L. 90–248, title II, § 204(a), 81 Stat. 889; amended Dec. 28, 1971, Pub. L. 92–223, § 3(b)(12), 85 Stat. 808; July 18, 1984, Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VI, 2663(c)(10), (j)(2)(B)(vii), 98 Stat. 1166, 1170, related to agreements with other agencies providing assistance to families of unemployed parents. Section 645, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 445, as added Aug. 13, 1981, Pub. L. 97–35, title XXIII, § 2309, 95 Stat. 850; amended Sept. 3, 1982, Pub. L. 97–248, title I, § 158(a), (b), 96 Stat. 399; July 18, 1984, Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VI, 2663(c)(11), 98 Stat. 1166; Aug. 22, 1984, Pub. L. 98–396, title I, 98 Stat. 1392, 1393; Oct. 18, 1986, Pub. L. 99–500, § 150, 100 Stat. 1783352, and Oct. 30, 1986, Pub. L. 99–591, § 150, 100 Stat. 3341355; July 11, 1988, Pub. L. 100–364, § 2, 102 Stat. 822, related to work incentive demonstration program.

Part D - Child Support and Establishment of Paternity

42 USC 651 - Authorization of appropriations

For the purpose of enforcing the support obligations owed by noncustodial parents to their children and the spouse (or former spouse) with whom such children are living, locating noncustodial parents, establishing paternity, obtaining child and spousal support, and assuring that assistance in obtaining support will be available under this part to all children (whether or not eligible for assistance under a State program funded under part A of this subchapter) for whom such assistance is requested, there is hereby authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year a sum sufficient to carry out the purposes of this part.

42 USC 652 - Duties of Secretary

(a) Establishment of separate organizational unit; duties
The Secretary shall establish, within the Department of Health and Human Services a separate organizational unit, under the direction of a designee of the Secretary, who shall report directly to the Secretary and who shall

(1) establish such standards for State programs for locating noncustodial parents, establishing paternity, and obtaining child support and support for the spouse (or former spouse) with whom the noncustodial parents child is living as he determines to be necessary to assure that such programs will be effective;

(2) establish minimum organizational and staffing requirements for State units engaged in carrying out such programs under plans approved under this part;

(3) review and approve State plans for such programs;

(4)

(A) review data and calculations transmitted by State agencies pursuant to section 654 (15)(B) of this title on State program accomplishments with respect to performance indicators for purposes of subsection (g) of this section and section 658a of this title;

(B) review annual reports submitted pursuant to section 654 (15)(A) of this title and, as appropriate, provide to the State comments, recommendations for additional or alternative corrective actions, and technical assistance; and

(i) at least once every 3 years (or more frequently, in the case of a State which fails to meet the requirements of this part concerning performance standards and reliability of program data) to assess the completeness, reliability, and security of the data and the accuracy of the reporting systems used in calculating performance indicators under subsection (g) of this section and section 658a of this title;

(ii) of the adequacy of financial management of the State program operated under the State plan approved under this part, including assessments of

(I) whether Federal and other funds made available to carry out the State program are being appropriately expended, and are properly and fully accounted for; and

(II) whether collections and disbursements of support payments are carried out correctly and are fully accounted for; and

(iii) for such other purposes as the Secretary may find necessary;

(5) assist States in establishing adequate reporting procedures and maintain records of the operations of programs established pursuant to this part in each State, and establish procedures to be followed by States for collecting and reporting information required to be provided under this part, and establish uniform definitions (including those necessary to enable the measurement of State compliance with the requirements of this part relating to expedited processes) to be applied in following such procedures;

(6) maintain records of all amounts collected and disbursed under programs established pursuant to the provisions of this part and of the costs incurred in collecting such amounts;

(7) provide technical assistance to the States to help them establish effective systems for collecting child and spousal support and establishing paternity, and specify the minimum requirements of an affidavit to be used for the voluntary acknowledgment of paternity which shall include the social security number of each parent and, after consultation with the States, other common elements as determined by such designee;

(8) receive applications from States for permission to utilize the courts of the United States to enforce court orders for support against noncustodial parents and, upon a finding that

(A) another State has not undertaken to enforce the court order of the originating State against the noncustodial parent within a reasonable time, and

(B) that utilization of the Federal courts is the only reasonable method of enforcing such order, approve such applications;

(9) operate the Federal Parent Locator Service established by section 653 of this title;

(10) not later than three months after the end of each fiscal year, beginning with the year 1977, submit to the Congress a full and complete report on all activities undertaken pursuant to the provisions of this part, which report shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(A) total program costs and collections set forth in sufficient detail to show the cost to the States and the Federal Government, the distribution of collections to families, State and local governmental units, and the Federal Government; and an identification of the financial impact of the provisions of this part, including

(i) the total amount of child support payments collected as a result of services furnished during the fiscal year to individuals receiving services under this part;

(ii) the cost to the States and to the Federal Government of so furnishing the services; and

(iii) the number of cases involving families

(I) who became ineligible for assistance under State programs funded under part A of this subchapter during a month in the fiscal year; and

(II) with respect to whom a child support payment was received in the month;

(B) costs and staff associated with the Office of Child Support Enforcement;

(C) the following data, separately stated for cases where the child is receiving assistance under a State program funded under part A of this subchapter (or foster care maintenance payments under part E of this subchapter), or formerly received such assistance or payments and the State is continuing to collect support assigned to it pursuant to section 608 (a)(3) of this title or under section 671 (a)(17) or 1396k of this title, and for all other cases under this part:

(i) the total number of cases in which a support obligation has been established in the fiscal year for which the report is submitted;

(ii) the total number of cases in which a support obligation has been established;

(iii) the number of cases in which support was collected during the fiscal year;

(iv) the total amount of support collected during such fiscal year and distributed as current support;

(v) the total amount of support collected during such fiscal year and distributed as arrearages;

(vi) the total amount of support due and unpaid for all fiscal years; and

(vii) the number of child support cases filed in each State in such fiscal year, and the amount of the collections made in each State in such fiscal year, on behalf of children residing in another State or against parents residing in another State;

(D) the status of all State plans under this part as of the end of the fiscal year last ending before the report is submitted, together with an explanation of any problems which are delaying or preventing approval of State plans under this part;

(E) data, by State, on the use of the Federal Parent Locator Service, and the number of locate requests submitted without the noncustodial parents social security account number;

(F) the number of cases, by State, in which an applicant for or recipient of assistance under a State program funded under part A of this subchapter has refused to cooperate in identifying and locating the noncustodial parent and the number of cases in which refusal so to cooperate is based on good cause (as determined by the State);

(G) data, by State, on use of the Internal Revenue Service for collections, the number of court orders on which collections were made, the number of paternity determinations made and the number of parents located, in sufficient detail to show the cost and benefits to the States and to the Federal Government;

(H) the major problems encountered which have delayed or prevented implementation of the provisions of this part during the fiscal year last ending prior to the submission of such report; and

(I) compliance, by State, with the standards established pursuant to subsections (h) and (i) of this section; and

(11) not later than October 1, 1996, after consulting with the State directors of programs under this part, promulgate forms to be used by States in interstate cases for

(A) collection of child support through income withholding;

(B) imposition of liens; and

(b) Certification of child support obligations to Secretary of the Treasury for collection
The Secretary shall, upon the request of any State having in effect a State plan approved under this part, certify to the Secretary of the Treasury for collection pursuant to the provisions of section 6305 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 the amount of any child support obligation (including any support obligation with respect to the parent who is living with the child and receiving assistance under the State program funded under part A of this subchapter) which is assigned to such State or is undertaken to be collected by such State pursuant to section 654 (4) of this title. No amount may be certified for collection under this subsection except the amount of the delinquency under a court or administrative order for support and upon a showing by the State that such State has made diligent and reasonable efforts to collect such amounts utilizing its own collection mechanisms, and upon an agreement that the State will reimburse the Secretary of the Treasury for any costs involved in making the collection. All reimbursements shall be credited to the appropriation accounts which bore all or part of the costs involved in making the collections. The Secretary after consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury may, by regulation, establish criteria for accepting amounts for collection and for making certification under this subsection including imposing such limitations on the frequency of making such certifications under this subsection.

(c) Payment of child support collections to States
The Secretary of the Treasury shall from time to time pay to each State for distribution in accordance with the provisions of section 657 of this title the amount of each collection made on behalf of such State pursuant to subsection (b) of this section.

(d) Child support management information system

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (3), the Secretary shall not approve the initial and annually updated advance automated data processing planning document, referred to in section 654 (16) of this title, unless he finds that such document, when implemented, will generally carry out the objectives of the management system referred to in such subsection, and such document

(A) provides for the conduct of, and reflects the results of, requirements analysis studies, which include consideration of the program mission, functions, organization, services, constraints, and current support, of, in, or relating to, such system,

(B) contains a description of the proposed management system referred to in section 654 (16) of this title, including a description of information flows, input data, and output reports and uses,

(D) describes the projected resource requirements for staff and other needs, and the resources available or expected to be available to meet such requirements,

(E) contains an implementation plan and backup procedures to handle possible failures,

(F) contains a summary of proposed improvement of such management system in terms of qualitative and quantitative benefits, and

(G) provides such other information as the Secretary determines under regulation is necessary.

(2)

(A) The Secretary shall through the separate organizational unit established pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, on a continuing basis, review, assess, and inspect the planning, design, and operation of, management information systems referred to in section 654 (16) of this title, with a view to determining whether, and to what extent, such systems meet and continue to meet requirements imposed under paragraph (1) and the conditions specified under section 654 (16) of this title.

(B) If the Secretary finds with respect to any statewide management information system referred to in section 654 (16) of this title that there is a failure substantially to comply with criteria, requirements, and other undertakings, prescribed by the advance automated data processing planning document theretofore approved by the Secretary with respect to such system, then the Secretary shall suspend his approval of such document until there is no longer any such failure of such system to comply with such criteria, requirements, and other undertakings so prescribed.

(3) The Secretary may waive any requirement of paragraph (1) or any condition specified under section 654 (16) of this title, and shall waive the single statewide system requirement under sections 654 (16) and 654a of this title, with respect to a State if

(A) the State demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Secretary that the State has or can develop an alternative system or systems that enable the State

(i) for purposes of section 609 (a)(8) of this title, to achieve the paternity establishment percentages (as defined in subsection (g)(2) of this section) and other performance measures that may be established by the Secretary;

(ii) to submit data under section 654 (15)(B) of this title that is complete and reliable;

(iii) to substantially comply with the requirements of this part; and

(iv) in the case of a request to waive the single statewide system requirement, to

(I) meet all functional requirements of sections 654 (16) and 654a of this title;

(II) ensure that calculation of distributions meets the requirements of section 657 of this title and accounts for distributions to children in different families or in different States or sub-State jurisdictions, and for distributions to other States;

(III) ensure that there is only one point of contact in the State which provides seamless case processing for all interstate case processing and coordinated, automated intrastate case management;

(IV) ensure that standardized data elements, forms, and definitions are used throughout the State;

(V) complete the alternative system in no more time than it would take to complete a single statewide system that meets such requirement; and

(VI) process child support cases as quickly, efficiently, and effectively as such cases would be processed through a single statewide system that meets such requirement;

(B)

(i) the waiver meets the criteria of paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 1315 (c) of this title; or

(ii) the State provides assurances to the Secretary that steps will be taken to otherwise improve the States child support enforcement program; and

(C) in the case of a request to waive the single statewide system requirement, the State has submitted to the Secretary separate estimates of the total cost of a single statewide system that meets such requirement, and of any such alternative system or systems, which shall include estimates of the cost of developing and completing the system and of operating and maintaining the system for 5 years, and the Secretary has agreed with the estimates.

(e) Technical assistance to States
The Secretary shall provide such technical assistance to States as he determines necessary to assist States to plan, design, develop, or install and provide for the security of, the management information systems referred to in section 654 (16) of this title.

(f) Regulations
The Secretary shall issue regulations to require that State agencies administering the child support enforcement program under this part enforce medical support included as part of a child support order whenever health care coverage is available to the noncustodial parent at a reasonable cost. A State agency administering the program under this part may enforce medical support against a custodial parent if health care coverage is available to the custodial parent at a reasonable cost, notwithstanding any other provision of this part. Such regulation shall also provide for improved information exchange between such State agencies and the State agencies administering the State medicaid programs under subchapter XIX of this chapter with respect to the availability of health insurance coverage. For purposes of this part, the term medical support may include health care coverage, such as coverage under a health insurance plan (including payment of costs of premiums, co-payments, and deductibles) and payment for medical expenses incurred on behalf of a child.

(g) Performance standards for State paternity establishment programs

(1) A States program under this part shall be found, for purposes of section 609 (a)(8) of this title, not to have complied substantially with the requirements of this part unless, for any fiscal year beginning on or after October 1, 1994, its paternity establishment percentage for such fiscal year is based on reliable data and (rounded to the nearest whole percentage point) equals or exceeds

(A) 90 percent;

(B) for a State with a paternity establishment percentage of not less than 75 percent but less than 90 percent for such fiscal year, the paternity establishment percentage of the State for the immediately preceding fiscal year plus 2 percentage points;

(C) for a State with a paternity establishment percentage of not less than 50 percent but less than 75 percent for such fiscal year, the paternity establishment percentage of the State for the immediately preceding fiscal year plus 3 percentage points;

(D) for a State with a paternity establishment percentage of not less than 45 percent but less than 50 percent for such fiscal year, the paternity establishment percentage of the State for the immediately preceding fiscal year plus 4 percentage points;

(E) for a State with a paternity establishment percentage of not less than 40 percent but less than 45 percent for such fiscal year, the paternity establishment percentage of the State for the immediately preceding fiscal year plus 5 percentage points; or

(F) for a State with a paternity establishment percentage of less than 40 percent for such fiscal year, the paternity establishment percentage of the State for the immediately preceding fiscal year plus 6 percentage points.

In determining compliance under this section, a State may use as its paternity establishment percentage either the States IVD paternity establishment percentage (as defined in paragraph (2)(A)) or the States statewide paternity establishment percentage (as defined in paragraph (2)(B)).

(2) For purposes of this section

(A) the term IVD paternity establishment percentage means, with respect to a State for a fiscal year, the ratio (expressed as a percentage) that the total number of children

(i) who have been born out of wedlock,

(ii)

(I) except as provided in the last sentence of this paragraph, with respect to whom assistance is being provided under the State program funded under part A of this subchapter in the fiscal year or, at the option of the State, as of the end of such year, or

(II) with respect to whom services are being provided under the States plan approved under this part in the fiscal year or, at the option of the State, as of the end of such year pursuant to an application submitted under section 654 (4)(A)(ii) of this title, and

(iii) the paternity of whom has been established or acknowledged,

bears to the total number of children born out of wedlock and (except as provided in such last sentence) with respect to whom assistance was being provided under the State program funded under part A of this subchapter as of the end of the preceding fiscal year or with respect to whom services were being provided under the States plan approved under this part as of the end of the preceding fiscal year pursuant to an application submitted under section 654 (4)(A)(ii) of this title;

(B) the term statewide paternity establishment percentage means, with respect to a State for a fiscal year, the ratio (expressed as a percentage) that the total number of minor children

(i) who have been born out of wedlock, and

(ii) the paternity of whom has been established or acknowledged during the fiscal year,

bears to the total number of children born out of wedlock during the preceding fiscal year; and

(C) the term reliable data means the most recent data available which are found by the Secretary to be reliable for purposes of this section.

For purposes of subparagraphs (A) and (B), the total number of children shall not include any child with respect to whom assistance is being provided under the State program funded under part A of this subchapter by reason of the death of a parent unless paternity is established for such child or any child with respect to whom an applicant or recipient is found by the State to qualify for a good cause or other exception to cooperation pursuant to section 654 (29) of this title.

(3)

(A) The Secretary may modify the requirements of this subsection to take into account such additional variables as the Secretary identifies (including the percentage of children in a State who are born out of wedlock or for whom support has not been established) that affect the ability of a State to meet the requirements of this subsection.

(B) The Secretary shall submit an annual report to the Congress that sets forth the data upon which the paternity establishment percentages for States for a fiscal year are based, lists any additional variables the Secretary has identified under subparagraph (A), and describes State performance in establishing paternity.

(h) Prompt State response to requests for child support assistance
The standards required by subsection (a)(1) of this section shall include standards establishing time limits governing the period or periods within which a State must accept and respond to requests (from States, jurisdictions thereof, or individuals who apply for services furnished by the State agency under this part or with respect to whom an assignment pursuant to section 608 (a)(3) of this title is in effect) for assistance in establishing and enforcing support orders, including requests to locate noncustodial parents, establish paternity, and initiate proceedings to establish and collect child support awards.

(i) Prompt State distribution of amounts collected as child support
The standards required by subsection (a)(1) of this section shall include standards establishing time limits governing the period or periods within which a State must distribute, in accordance with section 657 of this title, amounts collected as child support pursuant to the States plan approved under this part.

(j) Training of Federal and State staff, research and demonstration programs, and special projects of regional or national significance
Out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there is hereby appropriated to the Secretary for each fiscal year an amount equal to 1 percent of the total amount paid to the Federal Government pursuant to a plan approved under this part during the immediately preceding fiscal year (as determined on the basis of the most recent reliable data available to the Secretary as of the end of the third calendar quarter following the end of such preceding fiscal year) or the amount appropriated under this paragraph^[1] for fiscal year 2002, whichever is greater, which shall be available for use by the Secretary, either directly or through grants, contracts, or interagency agreements, for

(1) information dissemination and technical assistance to States, training of State and Federal staff, staffing studies, and related activities needed to improve programs under this part (including technical assistance concerning State automated systems required by this part); and

(2) research, demonstration, and special projects of regional or national significance relating to the operation of State programs under this part.

The amount appropriated under this subsection shall remain available until expended.

(k) Denial of passports for nonpayment of child support

(1) If the Secretary receives a certification by a State agency in accordance with the requirements of section 654 (31) of this title that an individual owes arrearages of child support in an amount exceeding $2,500, the Secretary shall transmit such certification to the Secretary of State for action (with respect to denial, revocation, or limitation of passports) pursuant to paragraph (2).

(2) The Secretary of State shall, upon certification by the Secretary transmitted under paragraph (1), refuse to issue a passport to such individual, and may revoke, restrict, or limit a passport issued previously to such individual.

(3) The Secretary and the Secretary of State shall not be liable to an individual for any action with respect to a certification by a State agency under this section.

(l) 2 Facilitation of agreements between State agencies and financial institutions
The Secretary, through the Federal Parent Locator Service, may aid State agencies providing services under State programs operated pursuant to this part and financial institutions doing business in two or more States in reaching agreements regarding the receipt from such institutions, and the transfer to the State agencies, of information that may be provided pursuant to section 666 (a)(17)(A)(i) of this title, except that any State that, as of July 16, 1998, is conducting data matches pursuant to section 666 (a)(17)(A)(i) of this title shall have until January 1, 2000, to allow the Secretary to obtain such information from such institutions that are operating in the State. For purposes of section 3413 (d) of title 12, a disclosure pursuant to this subsection shall be considered a disclosure pursuant to a Federal statute.

(l) 2 Comparisons with insurance information

(1) In general
The Secretary, through the Federal Parent Locator Service, may

(A) compare information concerning individuals owing past-due support with information maintained by insurers (or their agents) concerning insurance claims, settlements, awards, and payments; and

(B) furnish information resulting from the data matches to the State agencies responsible for collecting child support from the individuals.

(2) Liability
An insurer (including any agent of an insurer) shall not be liable under any Federal or State law to any person for any disclosure provided for under this subsection, or for any other action taken in good faith in accordance with this subsection.

[1] So in original. Probably should be “subsection”.
[2] So in original. Two subsecs. (l) have been enacted.

42 USC 653 - Federal Parent Locator Service

(a) Establishment; purpose

(1) The Secretary shall establish and conduct a Federal Parent Locator Service, under the direction of the designee of the Secretary referred to in section 652 (a) of this title, which shall be used for the purposes specified in paragraphs (2) and (3).

(2) For the purpose of establishing parentage or establishing, setting the amount of, modifying, or enforcing child support obligations, the Federal Parent Locator Service shall obtain and transmit to any authorized person specified in subsection (c) of this section

(A) information on, or facilitating the discovery of, the location of any individual

(i) who is under an obligation to pay child support;

(ii) against whom such an obligation is sought;

(iii) to whom such an obligation is owed; or

(iv) who has or may have parental rights with respect to a child,

including the individuals social security number (or numbers), most recent address, and the name, address, and employer identification number of the individuals employer;

(B) information on the individuals wages (or other income) from, and benefits of, employment (including rights to or enrollment in group health care coverage); and

(3) For the purpose of enforcing any Federal or State law with respect to the unlawful taking or restraint of a child, or making or enforcing a child custody or visitation determination, as defined in section 663 (d)(1) of this title, the Federal Parent Locator Service shall be used to obtain and transmit the information specified in section 663 (c) of this title to the authorized persons specified in section 663 (d)(2) of this title.

(b) Disclosure of information to authorized persons

(1) Upon request, filed in accordance with subsection (d) of this section, of any authorized person, as defined in subsection (c) of this section for the information described in subsection (a)(2) of this section, or of any authorized person, as defined in section 663 (d)(2) of this title for the information described in section 663 (c) of this title, the Secretary shall, notwithstanding any other provision of law, provide through the Federal Parent Locator Service such information to such person, if such information

(A) is contained in any files or records maintained by the Secretary or by the Department of Health and Human Services; or

(B) is not contained in such files or records, but can be obtained by the Secretary, under the authority conferred by subsection (e) of this section, from any other department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States or of any State,

and is not prohibited from disclosure under paragraph (2).

(2) No information shall be disclosed to any person if the disclosure of such information would contravene the national policy or security interests of the United States or the confidentiality of census data. The Secretary shall give priority to requests made by any authorized person described in subsection (c)(1) of this section. No information shall be disclosed to any person if the State has notified the Secretary that the State has reasonable evidence of domestic violence or child abuse and the disclosure of such information could be harmful to the custodial parent or the child of such parent, provided that

(A) in response to a request from an authorized person (as defined in subsection (c) of this section and section 663 (d)(2) of this title), the Secretary shall advise the authorized person that the Secretary has been notified that there is reasonable evidence of domestic violence or child abuse and that information can only be disclosed to a court or an agent of a court pursuant to subparagraph (B); and

(B) information may be disclosed to a court or an agent of a court described in subsection (c)(2) of this section or section 663 (d)(2)(B) of this title, if

(i) upon receipt of information from the Secretary, the court determines whether disclosure to any other person of that information could be harmful to the parent or the child; and

(ii) if the court determines that disclosure of such information to any other person could be harmful, the court and its agents shall not make any such disclosure.

(3) Information received or transmitted pursuant to this section shall be subject to the safeguard provisions contained in section 654 (26) of this title.

(1) any agent or attorney of any State having in effect a plan approved under this part, who has the duty or authority under such plans to seek to recover any amounts owed as child and spousal support (including, when authorized under the State plan, any official of a political subdivision);

(2) the court which has authority to issue an order or to serve as the initiating court in an action to seek an order against a noncustodial parent for the support and maintenance of a child, or any agent of such court;

(3) the resident parent, legal guardian, attorney, or agent of a child (other than a child receiving assistance under a State program funded under part A of this subchapter) (as determined by regulations prescribed by the Secretary) without regard to the existence of a court order against a noncustodial parent who has a duty to support and maintain any such child; and

(4) a State agency that is administering a program operated under a State plan under subpart 1 of part B of this subchapter, or a State plan approved under subpart 2 of part B of this subchapter or under part E of this subchapter.

(d) Form and manner of request for information
A request for information under this section shall be filed in such manner and form as the Secretary shall by regulation prescribe and shall be accompanied or supported by such documents as the Secretary may determine to be necessary.

(e) Compliance with request; search of files and records by head of any department, etc., of United States; transmittal of information to Secretary; reimbursement for cost of search; fees

(1) Whenever the Secretary receives a request submitted under subsection (b) of this section which he is reasonably satisfied meets the criteria established by subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this section, he shall promptly undertake to provide the information requested from the files and records maintained by any of the departments, agencies, or instrumentalities of the United States or of any State.

(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever the individual who is the head of any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States receives a request from the Secretary for information authorized to be provided by the Secretary under this section, such individual shall promptly cause a search to be made of the files and records maintained by such department, agency, or instrumentality with a view to determining whether the information requested is contained in any such files or records. If such search discloses the information requested, such individual shall immediately transmit such information to the Secretary, except that if any information is obtained the disclosure of which would contravene national policy or security interests of the United States or the confidentiality of census data, such information shall not be transmitted and such individual shall immediately notify the Secretary. If such search fails to disclose the information requested, such individual shall immediately so notify the Secretary. The costs incurred by any such department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States or of any State in providing such information to the Secretary shall be reimbursed by him in an amount which the Secretary determines to be reasonable payment for the information exchange (which amount shall not include payment for the costs of obtaining, compiling, or maintaining the information). Whenever such services are furnished to an individual specified in subsection (c)(3) of this section, a fee shall be charged such individual. The fee so charged shall be used to reimburse the Secretary or his delegate for the expense of providing such services.

(3) The Secretary of Labor shall enter into an agreement with the Secretary to provide prompt access for the Secretary (in accordance with this subsection) to the wage and unemployment compensation claims information and data maintained by or for the Department of Labor or State employment security agencies.

(f) Arrangements and cooperation with State agencies
The Secretary, in carrying out his duties and functions under this section, shall enter into arrangements with State agencies administering State plans approved under this part for such State agencies to accept from resident parents, legal guardians, or agents of a child described in subsection (c)(3) of this section and to transmit to the Secretary requests for information with regard to the whereabouts of noncustodial parents and otherwise to cooperate with the Secretary in carrying out the purposes of this section.

(g) Reimbursement for reports by State agencies
The Secretary may reimburse Federal and State agencies for the costs incurred by such entities in furnishing information requested by the Secretary under this section in an amount which the Secretary determines to be reasonable payment for the information exchange (which amount shall not include payment for the costs of obtaining, compiling, or maintaining the information).

(h) Federal Case Registry of Child Support Orders

(1) In general
Not later than October 1, 1998, in order to assist States in administering programs under State plans approved under this part and programs funded under part A of this subchapter, and for the other purposes specified in this section, the Secretary shall establish and maintain in the Federal Parent Locator Service an automated registry (which shall be known as the Federal Case Registry of Child Support Orders), which shall contain abstracts of support orders and other information described in paragraph (2) with respect to each case and order in each State case registry maintained pursuant to section 654a (e) of this title, as furnished (and regularly updated), pursuant to section 654a (f) of this title, by State agencies administering programs under this part.

(2) Case and order information
The information referred to in paragraph (1) with respect to a case or an order shall be such information as the Secretary may specify in regulations (including the names, social security numbers or other uniform identification numbers, and State case identification numbers) to identify the individuals who owe or are owed support (or with respect to or on behalf of whom support obligations are sought to be established), and the State or States which have the case or order. Beginning not later than October 1, 1999, the information referred to in paragraph (1) shall include the names and social security numbers of the children of such individuals.

(3) Administration of Federal tax laws
The Secretary of the Treasury shall have access to the information described in paragraph (2) for the purpose of administering those sections of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 which grant tax benefits based on support or residence of children.

(i) National Directory of New Hires

(1) In general
In order to assist States in administering programs under State plans approved under this part and programs funded under part A of this subchapter, and for the other purposes specified in this section, the Secretary shall, not later than October 1, 1997, establish and maintain in the Federal Parent Locator Service an automated directory to be known as the National Directory of New Hires, which shall contain the information supplied pursuant to section 653a (g)(2) of this title.

(2) Data entry and deletion requirements

(A) In general
Information provided pursuant to section 653a (g)(2) of this title shall be entered into the data base maintained by the National Directory of New Hires within two business days after receipt, and shall be deleted from the data base 24 months after the date of entry.

(B) 12-month limit on access to wage and unemployment compensation information
The Secretary shall not have access for child support enforcement purposes to information in the National Directory of New Hires that is provided pursuant to section 653a (g)(2)(B) of this title, if 12 months has elapsed since the date the information is so provided and there has not been a match resulting from the use of such information in any information comparison under this subsection.

(C) Retention of data for research purposes
Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A) and (B), the Secretary may retain such samples of data entered in the National Directory of New Hires as the Secretary may find necessary to assist in carrying out subsection (j)(5) of this section.

(3) Administration of Federal tax laws
The Secretary of the Treasury shall have access to the information in the National Directory of New Hires for purposes of administering section 32 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or the advance payment of the earned income tax credit under section 3507 of such Code, and verifying a claim with respect to employment in a tax return.

(4) List of multistate employers
The Secretary shall maintain within the National Directory of New Hires a list of multistate employers that report information regarding newly hired employees pursuant to section 653a (b)(1)(B) of this title, and the State which each such employer has designated to receive such information.

(j) Information comparisons and other disclosures

(1) Verification by Social Security Administration

(A) In general
The Secretary shall transmit information on individuals and employers maintained under this section to the Social Security Administration to the extent necessary for verification in accordance with subparagraph (B).

(B) Verification by SSA
The Social Security Administration shall verify the accuracy of, correct, or supply to the extent possible, and report to the Secretary, the following information supplied by the Secretary pursuant to subparagraph (A):

(i) The name, social security number, and birth date of each such individual.

(ii) The employer identification number of each such employer.

(2) Information comparisons
For the purpose of locating individuals in a paternity establishment case or a case involving the establishment, modification, or enforcement of a support order, the Secretary shall

(A) compare information in the National Directory of New Hires against information in the support case abstracts in the Federal Case Registry of Child Support Orders not less often than every 2 business days; and

(B) within 2 business days after such a comparison reveals a match with respect to an individual, report the information to the State agency responsible for the case.

(3) Information comparisons and disclosures of information in all registries for subchapter IV program purposes
To the extent and with the frequency that the Secretary determines to be effective in assisting States to carry out their responsibilities under programs operated under this part and programs funded under part A of this subchapter, the Secretary shall

(A) compare the information in each component of the Federal Parent Locator Service maintained under this section against the information in each other such component (other than the comparison required by paragraph (2)), and report instances in which such a comparison reveals a match with respect to an individual to State agencies operating such programs; and

(B) disclose information in such components to such State agencies.

(4) Provision of new hire information to the Social Security Administration
The National Directory of New Hires shall provide the Commissioner of Social Security with all information in the National Directory.

(5) Research
The Secretary may provide access to data in each component of the Federal Parent Locator Service maintained under this section and to information reported by employers pursuant to section 653a (b) of this title for research purposes found by the Secretary to be likely to contribute to achieving the purposes of part A of this subchapter or this part, but without personal identifiers.

(6) Information comparisons and disclosure for enforcement of obligations on Higher Education Act loans and grants

(A) Furnishing of information by the Secretary of Education
The Secretary of Education shall furnish to the Secretary, on a quarterly basis or at such less frequent intervals as may be determined by the Secretary of Education, information in the custody of the Secretary of Education for comparison with information in the National Directory of New Hires, in order to obtain the information in such directory with respect to individuals who

(i) are borrowers of loans made under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq., 42 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.] that are in default; or

(ii) owe an obligation to refund an overpayment of a grant awarded under such title.

(B) Requirement to seek minimum information necessary
The Secretary of Education shall seek information pursuant to this section only to the extent essential to improving collection of the debt described in subparagraph (A).

(i) Information comparison; disclosure to the Secretary of Education The Secretary, in cooperation with the Secretary of Education, shall compare information in the National Directory of New Hires with information in the custody of the Secretary of Education, and disclose information in that Directory to the Secretary of Education, in accordance with this paragraph, for the purposes specified in this paragraph.

(ii) Condition on disclosure The Secretary shall make disclosures in accordance with clause (i) only to the extent that the Secretary determines that such disclosures do not interfere with the effective operation of the program under this part. Support collection under section 666 (b) of this title shall be given priority over collection of any defaulted student loan or grant overpayment against the same income.

(D) Use of information by the Secretary of Education
The Secretary of Education may use information resulting from a data match pursuant to this paragraph only

(i) for the purpose of collection of the debt described in subparagraph (A) owed by an individual whose annualized wage level (determined by taking into consideration information from the National Directory of New Hires) exceeds $16,000; and

(ii) after removal of personal identifiers, to conduct analyses of student loan defaults.

(E) Disclosure of information by the Secretary of Education

(i) Disclosures permitted The Secretary of Education may disclose information resulting from a data match pursuant to this paragraph only to

(I) a guaranty agency holding a loan made under part B of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 1071 et seq.] on which the individual is obligated;

(II) a contractor or agent of the guaranty agency described in subclause (I);

(III) a contractor or agent of the Secretary; and

(IV) the Attorney General.

(ii) Purpose of disclosure The Secretary of Education may make a disclosure under clause (i) only for the purpose of collection of the debts owed on defaulted student loans, or overpayments of grants, made under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq., 42 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.].

(iii) Restriction on redisclosure An entity to which information is disclosed under clause (i) may use or disclose such information only as needed for the purpose of collecting on defaulted student loans, or overpayments of grants, made under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

(F) Reimbursement of HHS costs
The Secretary of Education shall reimburse the Secretary, in accordance with subsection (k)(3) of this section, for the additional costs incurred by the Secretary in furnishing the information requested under this subparagraph.

(7) Information comparisons for housing assistance programs

(A) Furnishing of information by HUD
Subject to subparagraph (G), the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall furnish to the Secretary, on such periodic basis as determined by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in consultation with the Secretary, information in the custody of the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for comparison with information in the National Directory of New Hires, in order to obtain information in such Directory with respect to individuals who are participating in any program under

(i) the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.);

(ii) section 1701q of title 12;

(iii) section 1715l (d)(3), 1715l (d)(5), or 1715z–1 of title 12;

(iv) section 8013 of this title; or

(v) section 1701s of title 12.

(B) Requirement to seek minimum information
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall seek information pursuant to this section only to the extent necessary to verify the employment and income of individuals described in subparagraph (A).

(i) Information disclosure The Secretary, in cooperation with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, shall compare information in the National Directory of New Hires with information provided by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development with respect to individuals described in subparagraph (A), and shall disclose information in such Directory regarding such individuals to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, in accordance with this paragraph, for the purposes specified in this paragraph.

(D) Use of information by HUD
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may use information resulting from a data match pursuant to this paragraph only

(i) for the purpose of verifying the employment and income of individuals described in subparagraph (A); and

(ii) after removal of personal identifiers, to conduct analyses of the employment and income reporting of individuals described in subparagraph (A).

(E) Disclosure of information by HUD

(i) Purpose of disclosure The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may make a disclosure under this subparagraph only for the purpose of verifying the employment and income of individuals described in subparagraph (A).

(ii) Disclosures permitted Subject to clause (iii), the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may disclose information resulting from a data match pursuant to this paragraph only to a public housing agency, the Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Attorney General in connection with the administration of a program described in subparagraph (A). Information obtained by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development pursuant to this paragraph shall not be made available under section 552 of title 5.

(iii) Conditions on disclosure Disclosures under this paragraph shall be

(I) made in accordance with data security and control policies established by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and approved by the Secretary;

(II) subject to audit in a manner satisfactory to the Secretary; and

(III) subject to the sanctions under subsection (l)(2) of this section.

(iv) Additional disclosures

(I) Determination by Secretaries The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Secretary shall determine whether to permit disclosure of information under this paragraph to persons or entities described in subclause (II), based on an evaluation made by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (in consultation with and approved by the Secretary), of the costs and benefits of disclosures made under clause (ii) and the adequacy of measures used to safeguard the security and confidentiality of information so disclosed.

(II) Permitted persons or entities If the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Secretary determine pursuant to subclause (I) that disclosures to additional persons or entities shall be permitted, information under this paragraph may be disclosed by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to a private owner, a management agent, and a contract administrator in connection with the administration of a program described in subparagraph (A), subject to the conditions in clause (iii) and such additional conditions as agreed to by the Secretaries.

(v) Restrictions on redisclosure A person or entity to which information is disclosed under this subparagraph may use or disclose such information only as needed for verifying the employment and income of individuals described in subparagraph (A), subject to the conditions in clause (iii) and such additional conditions as agreed to by the Secretaries.

(F) Reimbursement of HHS costs
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall reimburse the Secretary, in accordance with subsection (k)(3) of this section, for the costs incurred by the Secretary in furnishing the information requested under this paragraph.

(G) Consent
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall not seek, use, or disclose information under this paragraph relating to an individual without the prior written consent of such individual (or of a person legally authorized to consent on behalf of such individual).

(8) Information comparisons and disclosure to assist in administration of unemployment compensation programs

(A) In general
If, for purposes of administering an unemployment compensation program under Federal or State law, a State agency responsible for the administration of such program transmits to the Secretary the names and social security account numbers of individuals, the Secretary shall disclose to such State agency information on such individuals and their employers maintained in the National Directory of New Hires, subject to this paragraph.

(B) Condition on disclosure by the Secretary
The Secretary shall make a disclosure under subparagraph (A) only to the extent that the Secretary determines that the disclosure would not interfere with the effective operation of the program under this part.

(i) In general A State agency may not use or disclose information provided under this paragraph except for purposes of administering a program referred to in subparagraph (A).

(ii) Information security The State agency shall have in effect data security and control policies that the Secretary finds adequate to ensure the security of information obtained under this paragraph and to ensure that access to such information is restricted to authorized persons for purposes of authorized uses and disclosures.

(iii) Penalty for misuse of information An officer or employee of the State agency who fails to comply with this subparagraph shall be subject to the sanctions under subsection (l)(2) of this section to the same extent as if such officer or employee was an officer or employee of the United States.

(D) Procedural requirements
State agencies requesting information under this paragraph shall adhere to uniform procedures established by the Secretary governing information requests and data matching under this paragraph.

(E) Reimbursement of costs
The State agency shall reimburse the Secretary, in accordance with subsection (k)(3) of this section, for the costs incurred by the Secretary in furnishing the information requested under this paragraph.

(9) Information comparisons and disclosure to assist in Federal debt collection

(A) Furnishing of information by the Secretary of the Treasury
The Secretary of the Treasury shall furnish to the Secretary, on such periodic basis as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury in consultation with the Secretary, information in the custody of the Secretary of the Treasury for comparison with information in the National Directory of New Hires, in order to obtain information in such Directory with respect to persons

(i) who owe delinquent nontax debt to the United States; and

(ii) whose debt has been referred to the Secretary of the Treasury in accordance with section 3711 (g) of title 31.

(B) Requirement to seek minimum information
The Secretary of the Treasury shall seek information pursuant to this section only to the extent necessary to improve collection of the debt described in subparagraph (A).

(i) Information disclosure The Secretary, in cooperation with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall compare information in the National Directory of New Hires with information provided by the Secretary of the Treasury with respect to persons described in subparagraph (A) and shall disclose information in such Directory regarding such persons to the Secretary of the Treasury in accordance with this paragraph, for the purposes specified in this paragraph. Such comparison of information shall not be considered a matching program as defined in section 552a of title 5.

(ii) Condition on disclosure The Secretary shall make disclosures in accordance with clause (i) only to the extent that the Secretary determines that such disclosures do not interfere with the effective operation of the program under this part. Support collection under section 666 (b) of this title shall be given priority over collection of any delinquent Federal nontax debt against the same income.

(D) Use of information by the Secretary of the Treasury
The Secretary of the Treasury may use information provided under this paragraph only for purposes of collecting the debt described in subparagraph (A).

(E) Disclosure of information by the Secretary of the Treasury

(i) Purpose of disclosure The Secretary of the Treasury may make a disclosure under this subparagraph only for purposes of collecting the debt described in subparagraph (A).

(ii) Disclosures permitted Subject to clauses (iii) and (iv), the Secretary of the Treasury may disclose information resulting from a data match pursuant to this paragraph only to the Attorney General in connection with collecting the debt described in subparagraph (A).

(iii) Conditions on disclosure Disclosures under this subparagraph shall be

(I) made in accordance with data security and control policies established by the Secretary of the Treasury and approved by the Secretary;

(II) subject to audit in a manner satisfactory to the Secretary; and

(III) subject to the sanctions under subsection (l)(2) of this section.

(iv) Additional disclosures

(I) Determination by Secretaries The Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary shall determine whether to permit disclosure of information under this paragraph to persons or entities described in subclause (II), based on an evaluation made by the Secretary of the Treasury (in consultation with and approved by the Secretary), of the costs and benefits of such disclosures and the adequacy of measures used to safeguard the security and confidentiality of information so disclosed.

(II) Permitted persons or entities If the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary determine pursuant to subclause (I) that disclosures to additional persons or entities shall be permitted, information under this paragraph may be disclosed by the Secretary of the Treasury, in connection with collecting the debt described in subparagraph (A), to a contractor or agent of either Secretary and to the Federal agency that referred such debt to the Secretary of the Treasury for collection, subject to the conditions in clause (iii) and such additional conditions as agreed to by the Secretaries.

(v) Restrictions on redisclosure A person or entity to which information is disclosed under this subparagraph may use or disclose such information only as needed for collecting the debt described in subparagraph (A), subject to the conditions in clause (iii) and such additional conditions as agreed to by the Secretaries.

(F) Reimbursement of HHS costs
The Secretary of the Treasury shall reimburse the Secretary, in accordance with subsection (k)(3) of this section, for the costs incurred by the Secretary in furnishing the information requested under this paragraph. Any such costs paid by the Secretary of the Treasury shall be considered costs of implementing section 3711 (g) of title 31 in accordance with section 3711 (g)(6) of title 31 and may be paid from the account established pursuant to section 3711 (g)(7) of title 31.

(10) Information comparisons and disclosure to assist in administration of food stamp programs

(A) In general
If, for purposes of administering a food stamp program under the Food Stamp Act of 1977 [7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.], a State agency responsible for the administration of the program transmits to the Secretary the names and social security account numbers of individuals, the Secretary shall disclose to the State agency information on the individuals and their employers maintained in the National Directory of New Hires, subject to this paragraph.

(i) In general A State agency may not use or disclose information provided under this paragraph except for purposes of administering a program referred to in subparagraph (A).

(iii) Penalty for misuse of information An officer or employee of the State agency who fails to comply with this subparagraph shall be subject to the sanctions under subsection (l)(2) to the same extent as if the officer or employee were an officer or employee of the United States.

(E) Reimbursement of costs
The State agency shall reimburse the Secretary, in accordance with subsection (k)(3), for the costs incurred by the Secretary in furnishing the information requested under this paragraph.

(11) Information comparisons and disclosures to assist in administration of certain veterans benefits

(A) Furnishing of information by Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Subject to the provisions of this paragraph, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall furnish to the Secretary, on such periodic basis as determined by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in consultation with the Secretary, information in the custody of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for comparison with information in the National Directory of New Hires, in order to obtain information in such Directory with respect to individuals who are applying for or receiving

(i) needs-based pension benefits provided under chapter 15 of title 38 or under any other law administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs;

(ii) parents dependency and indemnity compensation provided under section 1315 of title 38;

(iii) health care services furnished under subsections (a)(2)(G), (a)(3), or (b) of section 1710 of title 38; or

(iv) compensation paid under chapter 11 of title 38 at the 100 percent rate based solely on unemployability and without regard to the fact that the disability or disabilities are not rated as 100 percent disabling under the rating schedule.

(B) Requirement to seek minimum information
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall seek information pursuant to this paragraph only to the extent necessary to verify the employment and income of individuals described in subparagraph (A).

(i) Information disclosure The Secretary, in cooperation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall compare information in the National Directory of New Hires with information provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs with respect to individuals described in subparagraph (A), and shall disclose information in such Directory regarding such individuals to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in accordance with this paragraph, for the purposes specified in this paragraph.

(D) Use of information by Secretary of Veterans Affairs
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may use information resulting from a data match pursuant to this paragraph only

(i) for the purposes specified in subparagraph (B); and

(ii) after removal of personal identifiers, to conduct analyses of the employment and income reporting of individuals described in subparagraph (A).

(E) Reimbursement of HHS costs
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall reimburse the Secretary, in accordance with subsection (k)(3), for the costs incurred by the Secretary in furnishing the information requested under this paragraph.

(F) Consent
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall not seek, use, or disclose information under this paragraph relating to an individual without the prior written consent of such individual (or of a person legally authorized to consent on behalf of such individual).

(G) Expiration of authority
The authority under this paragraph shall expire on September 30, 2011.

(k) Fees

(1) For SSA verification
The Secretary shall reimburse the Commissioner of Social Security, at a rate negotiated between the Secretary and the Commissioner, for the costs incurred by the Commissioner in performing the verification services described in subsection (j) of this section.

(2) For information from State directories of new hires
The Secretary shall reimburse costs incurred by State directories of new hires in furnishing information as required by section 653a (g)(2) of this title, at rates which the Secretary determines to be reasonable (which rates shall not include payment for the costs of obtaining, compiling, or maintaining such information).

(3) For information furnished to State and Federal agencies
A State or Federal agency that receives information from the Secretary pursuant to this section or section 652 (l)1 of this title shall reimburse the Secretary for costs incurred by the Secretary in furnishing the information, at rates which the Secretary determines to be reasonable (which rates shall include payment for the costs of obtaining, verifying, maintaining, and comparing the information).

(l) Restriction on disclosure and use

(1) In general
Information in the Federal Parent Locator Service, and information resulting from comparisons using such information, shall not be used or disclosed except as expressly provided in this section, subject to section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

(2) Penalty for misuse of information in the National Directory of New Hires
The Secretary shall require the imposition of an administrative penalty (up to and including dismissal from employment), and a fine of $1,000, for each act of unauthorized access to, disclosure of, or use of, information in the National Directory of New Hires established under subsection (i) of this section by any officer or employee of the United States or any other person who knowingly and willfully violates this paragraph.

(m) Information integrity and security
The Secretary shall establish and implement safeguards with respect to the entities established under this section designed to

(1) ensure the accuracy and completeness of information in the Federal Parent Locator Service; and

(2) restrict access to confidential information in the Federal Parent Locator Service to authorized persons, and restrict use of such information to authorized purposes.

(n) Federal Government reporting
Each department, agency, and instrumentality of the United States shall on a quarterly basis report to the Federal Parent Locator Service the name and social security number of each employee and the wages paid to the employee during the previous quarter, except that such a report shall not be filed with respect to an employee of a department, agency, or instrumentality performing intelligence or counterintelligence functions, if the head of such department, agency, or instrumentality has determined that filing such a report could endanger the safety of the employee or compromise an ongoing investigation or intelligence mission.

(o) Use of set-aside funds
Out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there is hereby appropriated to the Secretary for each fiscal year an amount equal to 2 percent of the total amount paid to the Federal Government pursuant to a plan approved under this part during the immediately preceding fiscal year (as determined on the basis of the most recent reliable data available to the Secretary as of the end of the third calendar quarter following the end of such preceding fiscal year) or the amount appropriated under this paragraph^[2] for fiscal year 2002, whichever is greater, which shall be available for use by the Secretary, either directly or through grants, contracts, or interagency agreements, for operation of the Federal Parent Locator Service under this section, to the extent such costs are not recovered through user fees. Amounts appropriated under this subsection shall remain available until expended.

(p) “Support order” defined
As used in this part, the term support order means a judgment, decree, or order, whether temporary, final, or subject to modification, issued by a court or an administrative agency of competent jurisdiction, for the support and maintenance of a child, including a child who has attained the age of majority under the law of the issuing State, or of the parent with whom the child is living, which provides for monetary support, health care, arrearages, or reimbursement, and which may include related costs and fees, interest and penalties, income withholding, attorneys fees, and other relief.

[1] See References in Text note below.
[2] So in original. Probably should be “subsection”.

42 USC 653a - State Directory of New Hires

(a) Establishment

(1) In general

(A) Requirement for States that have no directory
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), not later than October 1, 1997, each State shall establish an automated directory (to be known as the State Directory of New Hires) which shall contain information supplied in accordance with subsection (b) of this section by employers on each newly hired employee.

(B) States with new hire reporting law in existence
A State which has a new hire reporting law in existence on August 22, 1996, may continue to operate under the State law, but the State must meet the requirements of subsection (g)(2) of this section not later than October 1, 1997, and the requirements of this section (other than subsection (g)(2) of this section) not later than October 1, 1998.

(2) Definitions
As used in this section:

(A) Employee
The term employee

(i) means an individual who is an employee within the meaning of chapter 24 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and

(ii) does not include an employee of a Federal or State agency performing intelligence or counterintelligence functions, if the head of such agency has determined that reporting pursuant to paragraph (1) with respect to the employee could endanger the safety of the employee or compromise an ongoing investigation or intelligence mission.

(B) Employer

(i) In general The term employer has the meaning given such term in section 3401(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and includes any governmental entity and any labor organization.

(ii) Labor organization The term labor organization shall have the meaning given such term in section 152 (5) of title 29, and includes any entity (also known as a hiring hall) which is used by the organization and an employer to carry out requirements described in section 158 (f)(3) of title 29 of an agreement between the organization and the employer.

(b) Employer information

(1) Reporting requirement

(A) In general
Except as provided in subparagraphs (B) and (C), each employer shall furnish to the Directory of New Hires of the State in which a newly hired employee works, a report that contains the name, address, and social security number of the employee, and the name and address of, and identifying number assigned under section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to, the employer.

(B) Multistate employers
An employer that has employees who are employed in 2 or more States and that transmits reports magnetically or electronically may comply with subparagraph (A) by designating 1 State in which such employer has employees to which the employer will transmit the report described in subparagraph (A), and transmitting such report to such State. Any employer that transmits reports pursuant to this subparagraph shall notify the Secretary in writing as to which State such employer designates for the purpose of sending reports.

(C) Federal Government employers
Any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States shall comply with subparagraph (A) by transmitting the report described in subparagraph (A) to the National Directory of New Hires established pursuant to section 653 of this title.

(2) Timing of report
Each State may provide the time within which the report required by paragraph (1) shall be made with respect to an employee, but such report shall be made

(A) not later than 20 days after the date the employer hires the employee; or

(B) in the case of an employer transmitting reports magnetically or electronically, by 2 monthly transmissions (if necessary) not less than 12 days nor more than 16 days apart.

(c) Reporting format and method
Each report required by subsection (b) of this section shall be made on a W4 form or, at the option of the employer, an equivalent form, and may be transmitted by 1st class mail, magnetically, or electronically.

(d) Civil money penalties on noncomplying employers
The State shall have the option to set a State civil money penalty which shall not exceed

(1) $25 per failure to meet the requirements of this section with respect to a newly hired employee; or

(2) $500 if, under State law, the failure is the result of a conspiracy between the employer and the employee to not supply the required report or to supply a false or incomplete report.

(e) Entry of employer information
Information shall be entered into the data base maintained by the State Directory of New Hires within 5 business days of receipt from an employer pursuant to subsection (b) of this section.

(f) Information comparisons

(1) In general
Not later than May 1, 1998, an agency designated by the State shall, directly or by contract, conduct automated comparisons of the social security numbers reported by employers pursuant to subsection (b) of this section and the social security numbers appearing in the records of the State case registry for cases being enforced under the State plan.

(2) Notice of match
When an information comparison conducted under paragraph (1) reveals a match with respect to the social security number of an individual required to provide support under a support order, the State Directory of New Hires shall provide the agency administering the State plan approved under this part of the appropriate State with the name, address, and social security number of the employee to whom the social security number is assigned, and the name and address of, and identifying number assigned under section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to, the employer.

(g) Transmission of information

(1) Transmission of wage withholding notices to employers
Within 2 business days after the date information regarding a newly hired employee is entered into the State Directory of New Hires, the State agency enforcing the employees child support obligation shall transmit a notice to the employer of the employee directing the employer to withhold from the income of the employee an amount equal to the monthly (or other periodic) child support obligation (including any past due support obligation) of the employee, unless the employees income is not subject to withholding pursuant to section 666 (b)(3) of this title.

(2) Transmissions to the National Directory of New Hires

(A) New hire information
Within 3 business days after the date information regarding a newly hired employee is entered into the State Directory of New Hires, the State Directory of New Hires shall furnish the information to the National Directory of New Hires.

(B) Wage and unemployment compensation information
The State Directory of New Hires shall, on a quarterly basis, furnish to the National Directory of New Hires information concerning the wages and unemployment compensation paid to individuals, by such dates, in such format, and containing such information as the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall specify in regulations.

(3) “Business day” defined
As used in this subsection, the term business day means a day on which State offices are open for regular business.

(h) Other uses of new hire information

(1) Location of child support obligors
The agency administering the State plan approved under this part shall use information received pursuant to subsection (f)(2) of this section to locate individuals for purposes of establishing paternity and establishing, modifying, and enforcing child support obligations, and may disclose such information to any agent of the agency that is under contract with the agency to carry out such purposes.

(2) Verification of eligibility for certain programs
A State agency responsible for administering a program specified in section 1320b–7 (b) of this title shall have access to information reported by employers pursuant to subsection (b) of this section for purposes of verifying eligibility for the program.

(3) Administration of employment security and workers’ compensation
State agencies operating employment security and workers compensation programs shall have access to information reported by employers pursuant to subsection (b) of this section for the purposes of administering such programs.

42 USC 654 - State plan for child and spousal support

A State plan for child and spousal support must

(1) provide that it shall be in effect in all political subdivisions of the State;

(2) provide for financial participation by the State;

(3) provide for the establishment or designation of a single and separate organizational unit, which meets such staffing and organizational requirements as the Secretary may by regulation prescribe, within the State to administer the plan;

(4) provide that the State will

(A) provide services relating to the establishment of paternity or the establishment, modification, or enforcement of child support obligations, as appropriate, under the plan with respect to

(i) each child for whom

(I) assistance is provided under the State program funded under part A of this subchapter,

(II) benefits or services for foster care maintenance are provided under the State program funded under part E of this subchapter,

(III) medical assistance is provided under the State plan approved under subchapter XIX of this chapter, or

(IV) cooperation is required pursuant to section 2015 (l)(1) of title 7, unless, in accordance with paragraph (29), good cause or other exceptions exist;

(ii) any other child, if an individual applies for such services with respect to the child; and

(B) enforce any support obligation established with respect to

(i) a child with respect to whom the State provides services under the plan; or

(ii) the custodial parent of such a child;

(5) provide that

(A) in any case in which support payments are collected for an individual with respect to whom an assignment pursuant to section 608 (a)(3) of this title is effective, such payments shall be made to the State for distribution pursuant to section 657 of this title and shall not be paid directly to the family, and the individual will be notified on a monthly basis (or on a quarterly basis for so long as the Secretary determines with respect to a State that requiring such notice on a monthly basis would impose an unreasonable administrative burden) of the amount of the support payments collected, and

(B) in any case in which support payments are collected for an individual pursuant to the assignment made under section 1396k of this title, such payments shall be made to the State for distribution pursuant to section 1396k of this title, except that this clause shall not apply to such payments for any month after the month in which the individual ceases to be eligible for medical assistance;

(6) provide that

(A) services under the plan shall be made available to residents of other States on the same terms as to residents of the State submitting the plan;

(B)

(i) an application fee for furnishing such services shall be imposed on an individual, other than an individual receiving assistance under a State program funded under part A or E of this subchapter, or under a State plan approved under subchapter XIX of this chapter, or who is required by the State to cooperate with the State agency administering the program under this part pursuant to subsection (l) or (m) of section 2015 of title 7, and shall be paid by the individual applying for such services, or recovered from the absent parent, or paid by the State out of its own funds (the payment of which from State funds shall not be considered as an administrative cost of the State for the operation of the plan, and shall be considered income to the program), the amount of which

(I) will not exceed $25 (or such higher or lower amount (which shall be uniform for all States) as the Secretary may determine to be appropriate for any fiscal year to reflect increases or decreases in administrative costs), and

(II) may vary among such individuals on the basis of ability to pay (as determined by the State); and

(ii) in the case of an individual who has never received assistance under a State program funded under part A and for whom the State has collected at least $500 of support, the State shall impose an annual fee of $25 for each case in which services are furnished, which shall be retained by the State from support collected on behalf of the individual (but not from the first $500 so collected), paid by the individual applying for the services, recovered from the absent parent, or paid by the State out of its own funds (the payment of which from State funds shall not be considered as an administrative cost of the State for the operation of the plan, and the fees shall be considered income to the program);

(C) a fee of not more than $25 may be imposed in any case where the State requests the Secretary of the Treasury to withhold past-due support owed to or on behalf of such individual from a tax refund pursuant to section 664 (a)(2) of this title;

(D) a fee (in accordance with regulations of the Secretary) for performing genetic tests may be imposed on any individual who is not a recipient of assistance under a State program funded under part A of this subchapter; and

(E) any costs in excess of the fees so imposed may be collected

(i) from the parent who owes the child or spousal support obligation involved; or

(ii) at the option of the State, from the individual to whom such services are made available, but only if such State has in effect a procedure whereby all persons in such State having authority to order child or spousal support are informed that such costs are to be collected from the individual to whom such services were made available;

(7) provide for entering into cooperative arrangements with appropriate courts and law enforcement officials and Indian tribes or tribal organizations (as defined in subsections (e) and (l) of section 450b of title 25)

(A) to assist the agency administering the plan, including the entering into of financial arrangements with such courts and officials in order to assure optimum results under such program, and

(B) with respect to any other matters of common concern to such courts or officials and the agency administering the plan;

(8) provide that, for the purpose of establishing parentage, establishing, setting the amount of, modifying, or enforcing child support obligations, or making or enforcing a child custody or visitation determination, as defined in section 663 (d)(1) of this title the agency administering the plan will establish a service to locate parents utilizing

(A) all sources of information and available records; and

(B) the Federal Parent Locator Service established under section 653 of this title,

and shall, subject to the privacy safeguards required under paragraph (26), disclose only the information described in sections 653 and 663 of this title to the authorized persons specified in such sections for the purposes specified in such sections;

(9) provide that the State will, in accordance with standards prescribed by the Secretary, cooperate with any other State

(A) in establishing paternity, if necessary;

(B) in locating a noncustodial parent residing in the State (whether or not permanently) against whom any action is being taken under a program established under a plan approved under this part in another State;

(C) in securing compliance by a noncustodial parent residing in such State (whether or not permanently) with an order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction against such parent for the support and maintenance of the child or children or the parent of such child or children with respect to whom aid is being provided under the plan of such other State;

(D) in carrying out other functions required under a plan approved under this part; and

(E) not later than March 1, 1997, in using the forms promulgated pursuant to section 652 (a)(11) of this title for income withholding, imposition of liens, and issuance of administrative subpoenas in interstate child support cases;

(10) provide that the State will maintain a full record of collections and disbursements made under the plan and have an adequate reporting system;

(11)

(A) provide that amounts collected as support shall be distributed as provided in section 657 of this title; and

(B) provide that any payment required to be made under section 656 or 657 of this title to a family shall be made to the resident parent, legal guardian, or caretaker relative having custody of or responsibility for the child or children;

(12) provide for the establishment of procedures to require the State to provide individuals who are applying for or receiving services under the State plan, or who are parties to cases in which services are being provided under the State plan

(A) with notice of all proceedings in which support obligations might be established or modified; and

(B) with a copy of any order establishing or modifying a child support obligation, or (in the case of a petition for modification) a notice of determination that there should be no change in the amount of the child support award, within 14 days after issuance of such order or determination;

(13) provide that the State will comply with such other requirements and standards as the Secretary determines to be necessary to the establishment of an effective program for locating noncustodial parents, establishing paternity, obtaining support orders, and collecting support payments and provide that information requests by parents who are residents of other States be treated with the same priority as requests by parents who are residents of the State submitting the plan;

(14)

(A) comply with such bonding requirements, for employees who receive, disburse, handle, or have access to, cash, as the Secretary shall by regulations prescribe;

(B) maintain methods of administration which are designed to assure that persons responsible for handling cash receipts shall not participate in accounting or operating functions which would permit them to conceal in the accounting records the misuse of cash receipts (except that the Secretary shall by regulations provide for exceptions to this requirement in the case of sparsely populated areas where the hiring of unreasonable additional staff would otherwise be necessary);

(15) provide for

(A) a process for annual reviews of and reports to the Secretary on the State program operated under the State plan approved under this part, including such information as may be necessary to measure State compliance with Federal requirements for expedited procedures, using such standards and procedures as are required by the Secretary, under which the State agency will determine the extent to which the program is operated in compliance with this part; and

(B) a process of extracting from the automated data processing system required by paragraph (16) and transmitting to the Secretary data and calculations concerning the levels of accomplishment (and rates of improvement) with respect to applicable performance indicators (including paternity establishment percentages) to the extent necessary for purposes of sections 652 (g) and 658a of this title;

(16) provide for the establishment and operation by the State agency, in accordance with an (initial and annually updated) advance automated data processing planning document approved under section 652 (d) of this title, of a statewide automated data processing and information retrieval system meeting the requirements of section 654a of this title designed effectively and efficiently to assist management in the administration of the State plan, so as to control, account for, and monitor all the factors in the support enforcement collection and paternity determination process under such plan;

(17) provide that the State will have in effect an agreement with the Secretary entered into pursuant to section 663 of this title for the use of the Parent Locator Service established under section 653 of this title, and provide that the State will accept and transmit to the Secretary requests for information authorized under the provisions of the agreement to be furnished by such Service to authorized persons, will impose and collect (in accordance with regulations of the Secretary) a fee sufficient to cover the costs to the State and to the Secretary incurred by reason of such requests, will transmit to the Secretary from time to time (in accordance with such regulations) so much of the fees collected as are attributable to such costs to the Secretary so incurred, and during the period that such agreement is in effect will otherwise comply with such agreement and regulations of the Secretary with respect thereto;

(18) provide that the State has in effect procedures necessary to obtain payment of past-due support from overpayments made to the Secretary of the Treasury as set forth in section 664 of this title, and take all steps necessary to implement and utilize such procedures;

(19) provide that the agency administering the plan

(A) shall determine on a periodic basis, from information supplied pursuant to section 508 of the Unemployment Compensation Amendments of 1976, whether any individuals receiving compensation under the States unemployment compensation law (including amounts payable pursuant to any agreement under any Federal unemployment compensation law) owe child support obligations which are being enforced by such agency; and

(B) shall enforce any such child support obligations which are owed by such an individual but are not being met

(i) through an agreement with such individual to have specified amounts withheld from compensation otherwise payable to such individual and by submitting a copy of any such agreement to the State agency administering the unemployment compensation law; or

(ii) in the absence of such an agreement, by bringing legal process (as defined in section 659 (i)(5) of this title) to require the withholding of amounts from such compensation;

(20) provide, to the extent required by section 666 of this title, that the State

(A) shall have in effect all of the laws to improve child support enforcement effectiveness which are referred to in that section, and

(B) shall implement the procedures which are prescribed in or pursuant to such laws;

(21)

(A) at the option of the State, impose a late payment fee on all overdue support (as defined in section 666 (e) of this title) under any obligation being enforced under this part, in an amount equal to a uniform percentage determined by the State (not less than 3 percent nor more than 6 percent) of the overdue support, which shall be payable by the noncustodial parent owing the overdue support; and

(B) assure that the fee will be collected in addition to, and only after full payment of, the overdue support, and that the imposition of the late payment fee shall not directly or indirectly result in a decrease in the amount of the support which is paid to the child (or spouse) to whom, or on whose behalf, it is owed;

(22) in order for the State to be eligible to receive any incentive payments under section 658a of this title, provide that, if one or more political subdivisions of the State participate in the costs of carrying out activities under the State plan during any period, each such subdivision shall be entitled to receive an appropriate share (as determined by the State) of any such incentive payments made to the State for such period, taking into account the efficiency and effectiveness of the activities carried out under the State plan by such political subdivision;

(23) provide that the State will regularly and frequently publicize, through public service announcements, the availability of child support enforcement services under the plan and otherwise, including information as to any application fees for such services and a telephone number or postal address at which further information may be obtained and will publicize the availability and encourage the use of procedures for voluntary establishment of paternity and child support by means the State deems appropriate;

(24) provide that the State will have in effect an automated data processing and information retrieval system

(A) by October 1, 1997, which meets all requirements of this part which were enacted on or before October 13, 1988; and

(B) by October 1, 2000, which meets all requirements of this part enacted on or before August 22, 1996, except that such deadline shall be extended by 1 day for each day (if any) by which the Secretary fails to meet the deadline imposed by section 344(a)(3) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996;

(25) provide that if a family with respect to which services are provided under the plan ceases to receive assistance under the State program funded under part A of this subchapter, the State shall provide appropriate notice to the family and continue to provide such services, subject to the same conditions and on the same basis as in the case of other individuals to whom services are furnished under the plan, except that an application or other request to continue services shall not be required of such a family and paragraph (6)(B) shall not apply to the family;

(26) have in effect safeguards, applicable to all confidential information handled by the State agency, that are designed to protect the privacy rights of the parties, including

(A) safeguards against unauthorized use or disclosure of information relating to proceedings or actions to establish paternity, or to establish, modify, or enforce support, or to make or enforce a child custody determination;

(B) prohibitions against the release of information on the whereabouts of 1 party or the child to another party against whom a protective order with respect to the former party or the child has been entered;

(C) prohibitions against the release of information on the whereabouts of 1 party or the child to another person if the State has reason to believe that the release of the information to that person may result in physical or emotional harm to the party or the child;

(D) in cases in which the prohibitions under subparagraphs (B) and (C) apply, the requirement to notify the Secretary, for purposes of section 653 (b)(2) of this title, that the State has reasonable evidence of domestic violence or child abuse against a party or the child and that the disclosure of such information could be harmful to the party or the child; and

(E) procedures providing that when the Secretary discloses information about a parent or child to a State court or an agent of a State court described in section 653 (c)(2) or 663 (d)(2)(B) of this title, and advises that court or agent that the Secretary has been notified that there is reasonable evidence of domestic violence or child abuse pursuant to section 653 (b)(2) of this title, the court shall determine whether disclosure to any other person of information received from the Secretary could be harmful to the parent or child and, if the court determines that disclosure to any other person could be harmful, the court and its agents shall not make any such disclosure;

(27) provide that, on and after October 1, 1998, the State agency will

(A) operate a State disbursement unit in accordance with section 654b of this title; and

(B) have sufficient State staff (consisting of State employees) and (at State option) contractors reporting directly to the State agency to

(i) monitor and enforce support collections through the unit in cases being enforced by the State pursuant to paragraph (4) (including carrying out the automated data processing responsibilities described in section 654a (g) of this title); and

(ii) take the actions described in section 666 (c)(1) of this title in appropriate cases;

(28) provide that, on and after October 1, 1997, the State will operate a State Directory of New Hires in accordance with section 653a of this title;

(29) provide that the State agency responsible for administering the State plan

(A) shall make the determination (and redetermination at appropriate intervals) as to whether an individual who has applied for or is receiving assistance under the State program funded under part A of this subchapter, the State program under part E of this subchapter, the State program under subchapter XIX of this chapter, or the food stamp program, as defined under section 2012 (h) of title 7, is cooperating in good faith with the State in establishing the paternity of, or in establishing, modifying, or enforcing a support order for, any child of the individual by providing the State agency with the name of, and such other information as the State agency may require with respect to, the noncustodial parent of the child, subject to good cause and other exceptions which

(i) in the case of the State program funded under part A of this subchapter, the State program under part E of this subchapter, or the State program under subchapter XIX of this chapter shall, at the option of the State, be defined, taking into account the best interests of the child, and applied in each case, by the State agency administering such program; and

(ii) in the case of the food stamp program, as defined under section 2012 (h) of title 7, shall be defined and applied in each case under that program in accordance with section 2015 (l)(2) of title 7;

(B) shall require the individual to supply additional necessary information and appear at interviews, hearings, and legal proceedings;

(D) may request that the individual sign a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity, after notice of the rights and consequences of such an acknowledgment, but may not require the individual to sign an acknowledgment or otherwise relinquish the right to genetic tests as a condition of cooperation and eligibility for assistance under the State program funded under part A of this subchapter, the State program under part E of this subchapter, the State program under subchapter XIX of this chapter, or the food stamp program, as defined under section 2012 (h) of title 7; and

(E) shall promptly notify the individual and the State agency administering the State program funded under part A of this subchapter, the State agency administering the State program under part E of this subchapter, the State agency administering the State program under subchapter XIX of this chapter, or the State agency administering the food stamp program, as defined under section 2012 (h) of title 7, of each such determination, and if noncooperation is determined, the basis therefor;

(30) provide that the State shall use the definitions established under section 652 (a)(5) of this title in collecting and reporting information as required under this part;

(31) provide that the State agency will have in effect a procedure for certifying to the Secretary, for purposes of the procedure under section 652 (k) of this title, determinations that individuals owe arrearages of child support in an amount exceeding $2,500, under which procedure

(A) each individual concerned is afforded notice of such determination and the consequences thereof, and an opportunity to contest the determination; and

(B) the certification by the State agency is furnished to the Secretary in such format, and accompanied by such supporting documentation, as the Secretary may require;

(32)

(A) provide that any request for services under this part by a foreign reciprocating country or a foreign country with which the State has an arrangement described in section 659a (d) of this title shall be treated as a request by a State;

(B) provide, at State option, notwithstanding paragraph (4) or any other provision of this part, for services under the plan for enforcement of a spousal support order not described in paragraph (4)(B) entered by such a country (or subdivision); and

(C) provide that no applications will be required from, and no costs will be assessed for such services against, the foreign reciprocating country or foreign obligee (but costs may at State option be assessed against the obligor); and

(33) provide that a State that receives funding pursuant to section 628 of this title and that has within its borders Indian country (as defined in section 1151 of title 18) may enter into cooperative agreements with an Indian tribe or tribal organization (as defined in subsections (e) and (l) of section 450b of title 25), if the Indian tribe or tribal organization demonstrates that such tribe or organization has an established tribal court system or a Court of Indian Offenses with the authority to establish paternity, establish, modify, or enforce support orders, or to enter support orders in accordance with child support guidelines established or adopted by such tribe or organization, under which the State and tribe or organization shall provide for the cooperative delivery of child support enforcement services in Indian country and for the forwarding of all collections pursuant to the functions performed by the tribe or organization to the State agency, or conversely, by the State agency to the tribe or organization, which shall distribute such collections in accordance with such agreement.

The State may allow the jurisdiction which makes the collection involved to retain any application fee under paragraph (6)(B) or any late payment fee under paragraph (21). Nothing in paragraph (33) shall void any provision of any cooperative agreement entered into before August 22, 1996, nor shall such paragraph deprive any State of jurisdiction over Indian country (as so defined) that is lawfully exercised under section 1322 of title 25.

42 USC 654a - Automated data processing

(a) In general
In order for a State to meet the requirements of this section, the State agency administering the State program under this part shall have in operation a single statewide automated data processing and information retrieval system which has the capability to perform the tasks specified in this section with the frequency and in the manner required by or under this part.

(b) Program management
The automated system required by this section shall perform such functions as the Secretary may specify relating to management of the State program under this part, including

(1) controlling and accounting for use of Federal, State, and local funds in carrying out the program; and

(2) maintaining the data necessary to meet Federal reporting requirements under this part on a timely basis.

(c) Calculation of performance indicators
In order to enable the Secretary to determine the incentive payments and penalty adjustments required by sections 652 (g) and 658a of this title, the State agency shall

(1) use the automated system

(A) to maintain the requisite data on State performance with respect to paternity establishment and child support enforcement in the State; and

(B) to calculate the paternity establishment percentage for the State for each fiscal year; and

(2) have in place systems controls to ensure the completeness and reliability of, and ready access to, the data described in paragraph (1)(A), and the accuracy of the calculations described in paragraph (1)(B).

(d) Information integrity and security
The State agency shall have in effect safeguards on the integrity, accuracy, and completeness of, access to, and use of data in the automated system required by this section, which shall include the following (in addition to such other safeguards as the Secretary may specify in regulations):

(1) Policies restricting access
Written policies concerning access to data by State agency personnel, and sharing of data with other persons, which

(A) permit access to and use of data only to the extent necessary to carry out the State program under this part; and

(B) specify the data which may be used for particular program purposes, and the personnel permitted access to such data.

(2) Systems controls
Systems controls (such as passwords or blocking of fields) to ensure strict adherence to the policies described in paragraph (1).

(3) Monitoring of access
Routine monitoring of access to and use of the automated system, through methods such as audit trails and feedback mechanisms, to guard against and promptly identify unauthorized access or use.

(4) Training and information
Procedures to ensure that all personnel (including State and local agency staff and contractors) who may have access to or be required to use confidential program data are informed of applicable requirements and penalties (including those in section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986), and are adequately trained in security procedures.

(5) Penalties
Administrative penalties (up to and including dismissal from employment) for unauthorized access to, or disclosure or use of, confidential data.

(e) State case registry

(1) Contents
The automated system required by this section shall include a registry (which shall be known as the State case registry) that contains records with respect to

(A) each case in which services are being provided by the State agency under the State plan approved under this part; and

(B) each support order established or modified in the State on or after October 1, 1998.

(2) Linking of local registries
The State case registry may be established by linking local case registries of support orders through an automated information network, subject to this section.

(3) Use of standardized data elements
Such records shall use standardized data elements for both parents (such as names, social security numbers and other uniform identification numbers, dates of birth, and case identification numbers), and contain such other information (such as on case status) as the Secretary may require.

(4) Payment records
Each case record in the State case registry with respect to which services are being provided under the State plan approved under this part and with respect to which a support order has been established shall include a record of

(A) the amount of monthly (or other periodic) support owed under the order, and other amounts (including arrearages, interest or late payment penalties, and fees) due or overdue under the order;

(B) any amount described in subparagraph (A) that has been collected;

(D) the birth date and, beginning not later than October 1, 1999, the social security number, of any child for whom the order requires the provision of support; and

(E) the amount of any lien imposed with respect to the order pursuant to section 666 (a)(4) of this title.

(5) Updating and monitoring
The State agency operating the automated system required by this section shall promptly establish and update, maintain, and regularly monitor, case records in the State case registry with respect to which services are being provided under the State plan approved under this part, on the basis of

(A) information on administrative actions and administrative and judicial proceedings and orders relating to paternity and support;

(B) information obtained from comparison with Federal, State, or local sources of information;

(D) any other relevant information.

(f) Information comparisons and other disclosures of information
The State shall use the automated system required by this section to extract information from (at such times, and in such standardized format or formats, as may be required by the Secretary), to share and compare information with, and to receive information from, other data bases and information comparison services, in order to obtain (or provide) information necessary to enable the State agency (or the Secretary or other State or Federal agencies) to carry out this part, subject to section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Such information comparison activities shall include the following:

(1) Federal Case Registry of Child Support Orders
Furnishing to the Federal Case Registry of Child Support Orders established under section 653 (h) of this title (and update as necessary, with information including notice of expiration of orders) the minimum amount of information on child support cases recorded in the State case registry that is necessary to operate the registry (as specified by the Secretary in regulations).

(2) Federal Parent Locator Service
Exchanging information with the Federal Parent Locator Service for the purposes specified in section 653 of this title.

(3) Temporary family assistance and medicaid agencies
Exchanging information with State agencies (of the State and of other States) administering programs funded under part A of this subchapter, programs operated under a State plan approved under subchapter XIX of this chapter, and other programs designated by the Secretary, as necessary to perform State agency responsibilities under this part and under such programs.

(4) Intrastate and interstate information comparisons
Exchanging information with other agencies of the State, agencies of other States, and interstate information networks, as necessary and appropriate to carry out (or assist other States to carry out) the purposes of this part.

(5) Private industry councils receiving welfare-to-work grants
Disclosing to a private industry council (as defined in section 603 (a)(5)(D)(ii) of this title) to which funds are provided under section 603 (a)(5) of this title the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and identifying case number information in the State program funded under part A of this subchapter, of noncustodial parents residing in the service delivery area of the private industry council, for the purpose of identifying and contacting noncustodial parents regarding participation in the program under section 603 (a)(5) of this title.

(g) Collection and distribution of support payments

(1) In general
The State shall use the automated system required by this section, to the maximum extent feasible, to assist and facilitate the collection and disbursement of support payments through the State disbursement unit operated under section 654b of this title, through the performance of functions, including, at a minimum

(A) transmission of orders and notices to employers (and other debtors) for the withholding of income

(i) within 2 business days after receipt of notice of, and the income source subject to, such withholding from a court, another State, an employer, the Federal Parent Locator Service, or another source recognized by the State; and

(ii) using uniform formats prescribed by the Secretary;

(B) ongoing monitoring to promptly identify failures to make timely payment of support; and

(C) automatic use of enforcement procedures (including procedures authorized pursuant to section 666 (c) of this title) if payments are not timely made.

(2) “Business day” defined
As used in paragraph (1), the term business day means a day on which State offices are open for regular business.

(h) Expedited administrative procedures
The automated system required by this section shall be used, to the maximum extent feasible, to implement the expedited administrative procedures required by section 666 (c) of this title.

42 USC 654b - Collection and disbursement of support payments

(a) State disbursement unit

(1) In general
In order for a State to meet the requirements of this section, the State agency must establish and operate a unit (which shall be known as the State disbursement unit) for the collection and disbursement of payments under support orders

(A) in all cases being enforced by the State pursuant to section 654 (4) of this title; and

(B) in all cases not being enforced by the State under this part in which the support order is initially issued in the State on or after January 1, 1994, and in which the income of the noncustodial parent is subject to withholding pursuant to section 666 (a)(8)(B) of this title.

(2) Operation
The State disbursement unit shall be operated

(A) directly by the State agency (or 2 or more State agencies under a regional cooperative agreement), or (to the extent appropriate) by a contractor responsible directly to the State agency; and

(B) except in cases described in paragraph (1)(B), in coordination with the automated system established by the State pursuant to section 654a of this title.

(3) Linking of local disbursement units
The State disbursement unit may be established by linking local disbursement units through an automated information network, subject to this section, if the Secretary agrees that the system will not cost more nor take more time to establish or operate than a centralized system. In addition, employers shall be given 1 location to which income withholding is sent.

(b) Required procedures
The State disbursement unit shall use automated procedures, electronic processes, and computer-driven technology to the maximum extent feasible, efficient, and economical, for the collection and disbursement of support payments, including procedures

(1) for receipt of payments from parents, employers, and other States, and for disbursements to custodial parents and other obligees, the State agency, and the agencies of other States;

(2) for accurate identification of payments;

(3) to ensure prompt disbursement of the custodial parents share of any payment; and

(4) to furnish to any parent, upon request, timely information on the current status of support payments under an order requiring payments to be made by or to the parent, except that in cases described in subsection (a)(1)(B) of this section, the State disbursement unit shall not be required to convert and maintain in automated form records of payments kept pursuant to section 666 (a)(8)(B)(iii) of this title before the effective date of this section.

(1) In general
Except as provided in paragraph (2), the State disbursement unit shall distribute all amounts payable under section 657 (a) of this title within 2 business days after receipt from the employer or other source of periodic income, if sufficient information identifying the payee is provided. The date of collection for amounts collected and distributed under this part is the date of receipt by the State disbursement unit, except that if current support is withheld by an employer in the month when due and is received by the State disbursement unit in a month other than the month when due, the date of withholding may be deemed to be the date of collection.

(2) Permissive retention of arrearages
The State disbursement unit may delay the distribution of collections toward arrearages until the resolution of any timely appeal with respect to such arrearages.

(d) “Business day” defined
As used in this section, the term business day means a day on which State offices are open for regular business.

42 USC 655 - Payments to States

(a) Amounts payable each quarter

(1) From the sums appropriated therefor, the Secretary shall pay to each State for each quarter an amount

(A) equal to the percent specified in paragraph (2) of the total amounts expended by such State during such quarter for the operation of the plan approved under section 654 of this title,

(B) equal to the percent specified in paragraph (3) of the sums expended during such quarter that are attributable to the planning, design, development, installation or enhancement of an automatic data processing and information retrieval system (including in such sums the full cost of the hardware components of such system); and^[1]

(C) equal to 66 percent of so much of the sums expended during such quarter as are attributable to laboratory costs incurred in determining paternity, and

(D) equal to 66 percent of the sums expended by the State during the quarter for an alternative statewide system for which a waiver has been granted under section 652 (d)(3) of this title, but only to the extent that the total of the sums so expended by the State on or after July 16, 1998, does not exceed the least total cost estimate submitted by the State pursuant to section 652 (d)(3)(C) of this title in the request for the waiver;

except that no amount shall be paid to any State on account of amounts expended from amounts paid to the State under section 658a of this title or to carry out an agreement which it has entered into pursuant to section 663 of this title. In determining the total amounts expended by any State during a quarter, for purposes of this subsection, there shall be excluded an amount equal to the total of any fees collected or other income resulting from services provided under the plan approved under this part.

(2) The percent applicable to quarters in a fiscal year for purposes of paragraph (1)(A) is

(A) 70 percent for fiscal years 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1987,

(B) 68 percent for fiscal years 1988 and 1989, and

(3)

(A) The Secretary shall pay to each State, for each quarter in fiscal years 1996 and 1997, 90 percent of so much of the State expenditures described in paragraph (1)(B) as the Secretary finds are for a system meeting the requirements specified in section 654 (16) of this title (as in effect on September 30, 1995) but limited to the amount approved for States in the advance planning documents of such States submitted on or before September 30, 1995.

(B)

(i) The Secretary shall pay to each State or system described in clause (iii), for each quarter in fiscal years 1996 through 2001, the percentage specified in clause (ii) of so much of the State or system expenditures described in paragraph (1)(B) as the Secretary finds are for a system meeting the requirements of sections 654 (16) and 654a of this title.

(ii) The percentage specified in this clause is 80 percent.

(iii) For purposes of clause (i), a system described in this clause is a system that has been approved by the Secretary to receive enhanced funding pursuant to the Family Support Act of 1988 (Public Law 100485; 102 Stat. 2343) for the purpose of developing a system that meets the requirements of sections 654 (16) of this title (as in effect on and after September 30, 1995) and 654a of this title, including systems that have received funding for such purpose pursuant to a waiver under section 1315 (a) of this title.

(4)

(A)

(i) If

(I) the Secretary determines that a State plan under section 654 of this title would (in the absence of this paragraph) be disapproved for the failure of the State to comply with a particular subparagraph of section 654 (24) of this title, and that the State has made and is continuing to make a good faith effort to so comply; and

(II) the State has submitted to the Secretary a corrective compliance plan that describes how, by when, and at what cost the State will achieve such compliance, which has been approved by the Secretary,

then the Secretary shall not disapprove the State plan under section 654 of this title, and the Secretary shall reduce the amount otherwise payable to the State under paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection for the fiscal year by the penalty amount.

(ii) All failures of a State during a fiscal year to comply with any of the requirements referred to in the same subparagraph of section 654 (24) of this title shall be considered a single failure of the State to comply with that subparagraph during the fiscal year for purposes of this paragraph.

(B) In this paragraph:

(i) The term penalty amount means, with respect to a failure of a State to comply with a subparagraph of section 654 (24) of this title

(I) 4 percent of the penalty base, in the case of the first fiscal year in which such a failure by the State occurs (regardless of whether a penalty is imposed under this paragraph with respect to the failure);

(II) 8 percent of the penalty base, in the case of the second such fiscal year;

(III) 16 percent of the penalty base, in the case of the third such fiscal year;

(IV) 25 percent of the penalty base, in the case of the fourth such fiscal year; or

(V) 30 percent of the penalty base, in the case of the fifth or any subsequent such fiscal year.

(ii) The term penalty base means, with respect to a failure of a State to comply with a subparagraph of section 654 (24) of this title during a fiscal year, the amount otherwise payable to the State under paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection for the preceding fiscal year.

(C)

(i) The Secretary shall waive a penalty under this paragraph for any failure of a State to comply with section 654 (24)(A) of this title during fiscal year 1998 if

(I) on or before August 1, 1998, the State has submitted to the Secretary a request that the Secretary certify the State as having met the requirements of such section;

(II) the Secretary subsequently provides the certification as a result of a timely review conducted pursuant to the request; and

(III) the State has not failed such a review.

(ii) If a State with respect to which a reduction is made under this paragraph for a fiscal year with respect to a failure to comply with a subparagraph of section 654 (24) of this title achieves compliance with such subparagraph by the beginning of the succeeding fiscal year, the Secretary shall increase the amount otherwise payable to the State under paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection for the succeeding fiscal year by an amount equal to 90 percent of the reduction for the fiscal year.

(iii) The Secretary shall reduce the amount of any reduction that, in the absence of this clause, would be required to be made under this paragraph by reason of the failure of a State to achieve compliance with section 654 (24)(B) of this title during the fiscal year, by an amount equal to 20 percent of the amount of the otherwise required reduction, for each State performance measure described in section 658a (b)(4) of this title with respect to which the applicable percentage under section 658a (b)(6) of this title for the fiscal year is 100 percent, if the Secretary has made the determination described in section 658a (b)(5)(B) of this title with respect to the State for the fiscal year.

(D) The Secretary may not impose a penalty under this paragraph against a State with respect to a failure to comply with section 654 (24)(B) of this title for a fiscal year if the Secretary is required to impose a penalty under this paragraph against the State with respect to a failure to comply with section 654 (24)(A) of this title for the fiscal year.

(5)

(A)

(i) If

(I) the Secretary determines that a State plan under section 654 of this title would (in the absence of this paragraph) be disapproved for the failure of the State to comply with subparagraphs (A) and (B)(i) of section 654 (27) of this title, and that the State has made and is continuing to make a good faith effort to so comply; and

(II) the State has submitted to the Secretary, not later than April 1, 2000, a corrective compliance plan that describes how, by when, and at what cost the State will achieve such compliance, which has been approved by the Secretary,

(ii) All failures of a State during a fiscal year to comply with any of the requirements of section 654B of this title shall be considered a single failure of the State to comply with subparagraphs (A) and (B)(i) of section 654 (27) of this title during the fiscal year for purposes of this paragraph.

(B) In this paragraph:

(i) The term penalty amount means, with respect to a failure of a State to comply with subparagraphs (A) and (B)(i) of section 654 (27) of this title

(I) 4 percent of the penalty base, in the case of the 1st fiscal year in which such a failure by the State occurs (regardless of whether a penalty is imposed in that fiscal year under this paragraph with respect to the failure), except as provided in subparagraph (C)(ii) of this paragraph;

(II) 8 percent of the penalty base, in the case of the 2nd such fiscal year;

(III) 16 percent of the penalty base, in the case of the 3rd such fiscal year;

(IV) 25 percent of the penalty base, in the case of the 4th such fiscal year; or

(V) 30 percent of the penalty base, in the case of the 5th or any subsequent such fiscal year.

(ii) The term penalty base means, with respect to a failure of a State to comply with subparagraphs (A) and (B)(i) of section 654 (27) of this title during a fiscal year, the amount otherwise payable to the State under paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection for the preceding fiscal year.

(C)

(i) The Secretary shall waive all penalties imposed against a State under this paragraph for any failure of the State to comply with subparagraphs (A) and (B)(i) of section 654 (27) of this title if the Secretary determines that, before April 1, 2000, the State has achieved such compliance.

(ii) If a State with respect to which a reduction is required to be made under this paragraph with respect to a failure to comply with subparagraphs (A) and (B)(i) of section 654 (27) of this title achieves such compliance on or after April 1, 2000, and on or before September 30, 2000, then the penalty amount applicable to the State shall be 1 percent of the penalty base with respect to the failure involved.

(D) The Secretary may not impose a penalty under this paragraph against a State for a fiscal year for which the amount otherwise payable to the State under paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection is reduced under paragraph (4) of this subsection for failure to comply with section 654 (24)(A) of this title.

(b) Estimate of amounts payable; installment payments

(1) Prior to the beginning of each quarter, the Secretary shall estimate the amount to which a State will be entitled under subsection (a) of this section for such quarter, such estimates to be based on

(A) a report filed by the State containing its estimate of the total sum to be expended in such quarter in accordance with the provisions of such subsection, and stating the amount appropriated or made available by the State and its political subdivisions for such expenditures in such quarter, and if such amount is less than the States proportionate share of the total sum of such estimated expenditures, the source or sources from which the difference is expected to be derived, and

(B) such other investigation as the Secretary may find necessary.

(2) Subject to subsection (d) of this section, the Secretary shall then pay, in such installments as he may determine, to the State the amount so estimated, reduced or increased to the extent of any overpayment or underpayment which the Secretary determines was made under this section to such State for any prior quarter and with respect to which adjustment has not already been made under this subsection.

(3) Upon the making of any estimate by the Secretary under this subsection, any appropriations available for payments under this section shall be deemed obligated.

(d) State reports
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no amount shall be paid to any State under this section for any quarter, prior to the close of such quarter, unless for the period consisting of all prior quarters for which payment is authorized to be made to such State under subsection (a) of this section, there shall have been submitted by the State to the Secretary, with respect to each quarter in such period (other than the last two quarters in such period), a full and complete report (in such form and manner and containing such information as the Secretary shall prescribe or require) as to the amount of child support collected and disbursed and all expenditures with respect to which payment is authorized under subsection (a) of this section.

(e) Special project grants for interstate enforcement; appropriations

(1) In order to encourage and promote the development and use of more effective methods of enforcing support obligations under this part in cases where either the children on whose behalf the support is sought or their noncustodial parents do not reside in the State where such cases are filed, the Secretary is authorized to make grants, in such amounts and on such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, to States which propose to undertake new or innovative methods of support collection in such cases and which will use the proceeds of such grants to carry out special projects designed to demonstrate and test such methods.

(2) A grant under this subsection shall be made only upon a finding by the Secretary that the project involved is likely to be of significant assistance in carrying out the purpose of this subsection; and with respect to such project the Secretary may waive any of the requirements of this part which would otherwise be applicable, to such extent and for such period as the Secretary determines is necessary or desirable in order to enable the State to carry out the project.

(3) At the time of its application for a grant under this subsection the State shall submit to the Secretary a statement describing in reasonable detail the project for which the proceeds of the grant are to be used, and the State shall from time to time thereafter submit to the Secretary such reports with respect to the project as the Secretary may specify.

(4) Amounts expended by a State in carrying out a special project assisted under this section shall be considered, for purposes of section 658 (b)2 of this title (as amended by section 5(a) of the Child Support Enforcement Amendments of 1984), to have been expended for the operation of the States plan approved under section 654 of this title.

(5) There is authorized to be appropriated the sum of $7,000,000 for fiscal year 1985, $12,000,000 for fiscal year 1986, and $15,000,000 for each fiscal year thereafter, to be used by the Secretary in making grants under this subsection.

(f) Direct Federal funding to Indian tribes and tribal organizations
The Secretary may make direct payments under this part to an Indian tribe or tribal organization that demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Secretary that it has the capacity to operate a child support enforcement program meeting the objectives of this part, including establishment of paternity, establishment, modification, and enforcement of support orders, and location of absent parents. The Secretary shall promulgate regulations establishing the requirements which must be met by an Indian tribe or tribal organization to be eligible for a grant under this subsection.

[1] So in original. The “; and” probably should be a comma.
[2] See References in Text note below.

42 USC 655a - Provision for reimbursement of expenses

For purposes of section 655 of this title, expenses incurred to reimburse State employment offices for furnishing information requested of such offices

(1) pursuant to section 49b (b) of title 29, or

(2) by a State or local agency charged with the duty of carrying a State plan for child support approved under this part,

shall be considered to constitute expenses incurred in the administration of such State plan.

42 USC 656 - Support obligation as obligation to State; amount; discharge in bankruptcy

(a) Collection processes

(1) The support rights assigned to the State pursuant to section 608 (a)(3) of this title or secured on behalf of a child receiving foster care maintenance payments shall constitute an obligation owed to such State by the individual responsible for providing such support. Such obligation shall be deemed for collection purposes to be collectible under all applicable State and local processes.

(2) The amount of such obligation shall be

(A) the amount specified in a court order which covers the assigned support rights, or

(B) if there is no court order, an amount determined by the State in accordance with a formula approved by the Secretary.

(3) Any amounts collected from a noncustodial parent under the plan shall reduce, dollar for dollar, the amount of his obligation under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2).

(b) Nondischargeability
A debt (as defined in section 101 of title 11) owed under State law to a State (as defined in such section) or municipality (as defined in such section) that is in the nature of support and that is enforceable under this part is not released by a discharge in bankruptcy under title 11.

42 USC 657 - Distribution of collected support

(a) In general
Subject to subsections (d) and (e) of this section, an amount collected on behalf of a family as support by a State pursuant to a plan approved under this part shall be distributed as follows:

(1) Families receiving assistance
In the case of a family receiving assistance from the State, the State shall

(A) pay to the Federal Government the Federal share of the amount so collected; and

(B) retain, or distribute to the family, the State share of the amount so collected.

In no event shall the total of the amounts paid to the Federal Government and retained by the State exceed the total of the amounts that have been paid to the family as assistance by the State.

(2) Families that formerly received assistance
In the case of a family that formerly received assistance from the State:

(A) Current support payments
To the extent that the amount so collected does not exceed the amount required to be paid to the family for the month in which collected, the State shall distribute the amount so collected to the family.

(B) Payments of arrearages
To the extent that the amount so collected exceeds the amount required to be paid to the family for the month in which collected, the State shall distribute the amount so collected as follows:

(i) Distribution of arrearages that accrued after the family ceased to receive assistance

(I) Pre-October 1997 Except as provided in subclause (II), the provisions of this section as in effect and applied on the day before August 22, 1996 (other than subsection (b)(1) (as so in effect)), shall apply with respect to the distribution of support arrearages that

(aa) accrued after the family ceased to receive assistance, and

(bb) are collected before October 1, 1997.

(II) Post-September 1997 With respect to the amount so collected on or after October 1, 1997 (or before such date, at the option of the State)

(aa) In general The State shall first distribute the amount so collected (other than any amount described in clause (iv)) to the family to the extent necessary to satisfy any support arrearages with respect to the family that accrued after the family ceased to receive assistance from the State.

(bb) Reimbursement of governments for assistance provided to the family After the application of division (aa) and clause (ii)(II)(aa) with respect to the amount so collected, the State shall retain the State share of the amount so collected, and pay to the Federal Government the Federal share (as defined in subsection (c)(2) of this section) of the amount so collected, but only to the extent necessary to reimburse amounts paid to the family as assistance by the State.

(cc) Distribution of the remainder to the family To the extent that neither division (aa) nor division (bb) applies to the amount so collected, the State shall distribute the amount to the family.

(ii) Distribution of arrearages that accrued before the family received assistance

(I) Pre-October 2000 Except as provided in subclause (II), the provisions of this section as in effect and applied on the day before August 22, 1996 (other than subsection (b)(1) (as so in effect)), shall apply with respect to the distribution of support arrearages that

(aa) accrued before the family received assistance, and

(bb) are collected before October 1, 2000.

(II) Post-September 2000 Unless, based on the report required by paragraph (5), the Congress determines otherwise, with respect to the amount so collected on or after October 1, 2000 (or before such date, at the option of the State)

(aa) In general The State shall first distribute the amount so collected (other than any amount described in clause (iv)) to the family to the extent necessary to satisfy any support arrearages with respect to the family that accrued before the family received assistance from the State.

(bb) Reimbursement of governments for assistance provided to the family After the application of clause (i)(II)(aa) and division (aa) with respect to the amount so collected, the State shall retain the State share of the amount so collected, and pay to the Federal Government the Federal share (as defined in subsection (c)(2) of this section) of the amount so collected, but only to the extent necessary to reimburse amounts paid to the family as assistance by the State.

(cc) Distribution of the remainder to the family To the extent that neither division (aa) nor division (bb) applies to the amount so collected, the State shall distribute the amount to the family.

(iii) Distribution of arrearages that accrued while the family received assistance In the case of a family described in this subparagraph, the provisions of paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to the distribution of support arrearages that accrued while the family received assistance.

(iv) Amounts collected pursuant to section 664 Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, any amount of support collected pursuant to section 664 of this title shall be retained by the State to the extent past-due support has been assigned to the State as a condition of receiving assistance from the State, up to the amount necessary to reimburse the State for amounts paid to the family as assistance by the State. The State shall pay to the Federal Government the Federal share of the amounts so retained. To the extent the amount collected pursuant to section 664 of this title exceeds the amount so retained, the State shall distribute the excess to the family.

(v) Ordering rules for distributions For purposes of this subparagraph, unless an earlier effective date is required by this section, effective October 1, 2000, the State shall treat any support arrearages collected, except for amounts collected pursuant to section 664 of this title, as accruing in the following order:

(I) To the period after the family ceased to receive assistance.

(II) To the period before the family received assistance.

(III) To the period while the family was receiving assistance.

(3) Families that never received assistance
In the case of any other family, the State shall distribute to the family the portion of the amount so collected that remains after withholding any fee pursuant to section 654 (6)(B)(ii) of this title.

(4) Families under certain agreements
In the case of an amount collected for a family in accordance with a cooperative agreement under section 654 (33) of this title, distribute the amount so collected pursuant to the terms of the agreement.

(5) Study and report
Not later than October 1, 1999, the Secretary shall report to the Congress the Secretarys findings with respect to

(A) whether the distribution of post-assistance arrearages to families has been effective in moving people off of welfare and keeping them off of welfare;

(B) whether early implementation of a pre-assistance arrearage program by some States has been effective in moving people off of welfare and keeping them off of welfare;

(C) what the overall impact has been of the amendments made by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 with respect to child support enforcement in moving people off of welfare and keeping them off of welfare; and

(D) based on the information and data the Secretary has obtained, what changes, if any, should be made in the policies related to the distribution of child support arrearages.

(6) State option for applicability
Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, a State may elect to apply the rules described in clauses (i)(II), (ii)(II), and (v) of paragraph (2)(B) to support arrearages collected on and after October 1, 1998, and, if the State makes such an election, shall apply the provisions of this section, as in effect and applied on the day before August 22, 1996, other than subsection (b)(1) (as so in effect), to amounts collected before October 1, 1998.

(7) State option to pass through additional support with Federal financial participation

(A) Families that formerly received assistance
Notwithstanding paragraph (2), a State shall not be required to pay to the Federal Government the Federal share of an amount collected on behalf of a family that formerly received assistance from the State to the extent that the State pays the amount to the family.

(B) Families that currently receive assistance

(i) In general Notwithstanding paragraph (1), in the case of a family that receives assistance from the State, a State shall not be required to pay to the Federal Government the Federal share of the excepted portion (as defined in clause (ii)) of any amount collected on behalf of such family during a month to the extent that

(I) the State pays the excepted portion to the family; and

(II) the excepted portion is disregarded in determining the amount and type of assistance provided to the family under such program.

(ii) Excepted portion defined For purposes of this subparagraph, the term excepted portion means that portion of the amount collected on behalf of a family during a month that does not exceed $100 per month, or in the case of a family that includes 2 or more children, that does not exceed an amount established by the State that is not more than $200 per month.

(b) Continuation of assignments
Any rights to support obligations, assigned to a State as a condition of receiving assistance from the State under part A of this subchapter and in effect on September 30, 1997 (or such earlier date, on or after August 22, 1996, as the State may choose), shall remain assigned after such date.

(1) Assistance
The term assistance from the State means

(A) assistance under the State program funded under part A of this subchapter or under the State plan approved under part A of this subchapter (as in effect on the day before August 22, 1996); and

(B) foster care maintenance payments under the State plan approved under part E of this subchapter.

(2) Federal share
The term Federal share means that portion of the amount collected resulting from the application of the Federal medical assistance percentage in effect for the fiscal year in which the amount is distributed.

(3) Federal medical assistance percentage
The term Federal medical assistance percentage means

(A) 75 percent, in the case of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa; or

(B) the Federal medical assistance percentage (as defined in section 1396d (b) of this title, as such section was in effect on September 30, 1995) in the case of any other State.

(4) State share
The term State share means 100 percent minus the Federal share.

(d) Gap payments not subject to distribution under this section
At State option, this section shall not apply to any amount collected on behalf of a family as support by the State (and paid to the family in addition to the amount of assistance otherwise payable to the family) pursuant to a plan approved under this part if such amount would have been paid to the family by the State under section 602 (a)(28) of this title, as in effect and applied on the day before August 22, 1996.

(e) Amounts collected for child for whom foster care maintenance payments are made
Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this section, amounts collected by a State as child support for months in any period on behalf of a child for whom a public agency is making foster care maintenance payments under part E of this subchapter

(1) shall be retained by the State to the extent necessary to reimburse it for the foster care maintenance payments made with respect to the child during such period (with appropriate reimbursement of the Federal Government to the extent of its participation in the financing);

(2) shall be paid to the public agency responsible for supervising the placement of the child to the extent that the amounts collected exceed the foster care maintenance payments made with respect to the child during such period but not the amounts required by a court or administrative order to be paid as support on behalf of the child during such period; and the responsible agency may use the payments in the manner it determines will serve the best interests of the child, including setting such payments aside for the childs future needs or making all or a part thereof available to the person responsible for meeting the childs day-to-day needs; and

(3) shall be retained by the State, if any portion of the amounts collected remains after making the payments required under paragraphs (1) and (2), to the extent that such portion is necessary to reimburse the State (with appropriate reimbursement to the Federal Government to the extent of its participation in the financing) for any past foster care maintenance payments (or payments of assistance under the State program funded under part A of this subchapter) which were made with respect to the child (and with respect to which past collections have not previously been retained);

and any balance shall be paid to the State agency responsible for supervising the placement of the child, for use by such agency in accordance with paragraph (2).

42 USC 658 - Repealed. Pub. L. 105200, title II, 201(f)(1), July 16, 1998, 112 Stat. 657

Section, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 458, as added Pub. L. 93–647, § 101(a), Jan. 4, 1975, 88 Stat. 2357; amended Pub. L. 95–30, title V, § 503(a), May 23, 1977, 91 Stat. 162; Pub. L. 96–272, title III, § 307, June 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 531; Pub. L. 97–248, title I, § 174(c), Sept. 3, 1982, 96 Stat. 403; Pub. L. 98–378, § 5(a), (c)(2)(A), Aug. 16, 1984, 98 Stat. 1312, 1314; Pub. L. 99–514, title XVIII, § 1883(b)(7), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2917; Pub. L. 100–485, title I, § 127, Oct. 13, 1988, 102 Stat. 2355; Pub. L. 104–193, title III, §§ 341(a), formerly 341(b), 395(d)(1)(F), Aug. 22, 1996, 110 Stat. 2231, 2259; Pub. L. 105–33, title V, § 5550(b), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 634; Pub. L. 105–200, title II, § 201(e)(1)(A), July 16, 1998, 112 Stat. 657, related to incentive payments to States for child support enforcement programs.

42 USC 658a - Incentive payments to States

(a) In general
In addition to any other payment under this part, the Secretary shall, subject to subsection (f) of this section, make an incentive payment to each State for each fiscal year in an amount determined under subsection (b) of this section.

(b) Amount of incentive payment

(1) In general
The incentive payment for a State for a fiscal year is equal to the incentive payment pool for the fiscal year, multiplied by the State incentive payment share for the fiscal year.

(2) Incentive payment pool

(A) In general
In paragraph (1), the term incentive payment pool means

(i) $422,000,000 for fiscal year 2000;

(ii) $429,000,000 for fiscal year 2001;

(iii) $450,000,000 for fiscal year 2002;

(iv) $461,000,000 for fiscal year 2003;

(v) $454,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;

(vi) $446,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;

(vii) $458,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;

(viii) $471,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;

(ix) $483,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and

(x) for any succeeding fiscal year, the amount of the incentive payment pool for the fiscal year that precedes such succeeding fiscal year, multiplied by the percentage (if any) by which the CPI for such preceding fiscal year exceeds the CPI for the second preceding fiscal year.

(B) CPI
For purposes of subparagraph (A), the CPI for a fiscal year is the average of the Consumer Price Index for the 12-month period ending on September 30 of the fiscal year. As used in the preceding sentence, the term Consumer Price Index means the last Consumer Price Index for all-urban consumers published by the Department of Labor.

(3) State incentive payment share
In paragraph (1), the term State incentive payment share means, with respect to a fiscal year

(A) the incentive base amount for the State for the fiscal year; divided by

(B) the sum of the incentive base amounts for all of the States for the fiscal year.

(4) Incentive base amount
In paragraph (3), the term incentive base amount means, with respect to a State and a fiscal year, the sum of the applicable percentages (determined in accordance with paragraph (6)) multiplied by the corresponding maximum incentive base amounts for the State for the fiscal year, with respect to each of the following measures of State performance for the fiscal year:

(A) The paternity establishment performance level.

(B) The support order performance level.

(D) The arrearage payment performance level.

(E) The cost-effectiveness performance level.

(5) Maximum incentive base amount

(A) In general
For purposes of paragraph (4), the maximum incentive base amount for a State for a fiscal year is

(i) with respect to the performance measures described in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (4), the State collections base for the fiscal year; and

(ii) with respect to the performance measures described in subparagraphs (D) and (E) of paragraph (4), 75 percent of the State collections base for the fiscal year.

(B) Data required to be complete and reliable
Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), the maximum incentive base amount for a State for a fiscal year with respect to a performance measure described in paragraph (4) is zero, unless the Secretary determines, on the basis of an audit performed under section 652 (a)(4)(C)(i) of this title, that the data which the State submitted pursuant to section 654 (15)(B) of this title for the fiscal year and which is used to determine the performance level involved is complete and reliable.

(C) State collections base
For purposes of subparagraph (A), the State collections base for a fiscal year is equal to the sum of

(i) 2 times the sum of

(I) the total amount of support collected during the fiscal year under the State plan approved under this part in cases in which the support obligation involved is required to be assigned to the State pursuant to part A or E of this subchapter or subchapter XIX of this chapter; and

(II) the total amount of support collected during the fiscal year under the State plan approved under this part in cases in which the support obligation involved was so assigned but, at the time of collection, is not required to be so assigned; and

(ii) the total amount of support collected during the fiscal year under the State plan approved under this part in all other cases.

(6) Determination of applicable percentages based on performance levels

(A) Paternity establishment

(i) Determination of paternity establishment performance level The paternity establishment performance level for a State for a fiscal year is, at the option of the State, the IVD paternity establishment percentage determined under section 652 (g)(2)(A) of this title or the statewide paternity establishment percentage determined under section 652 (g)(2)(B) of this title.

(ii) Determination of applicable percentage The applicable percentage with respect to a States paternity establishment performance level is as follows: Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if the paternity establishment performance level of a State for a fiscal year is less than 50 percent but exceeds by at least 10 percentage points the paternity establishment performance level of the State for the immediately preceding fiscal year, then the applicable percentage with respect to the States paternity establishment performance level is 50 percent.

(B) Establishment of child support orders

(i) Determination of support order performance level The support order performance level for a State for a fiscal year is the percentage of the total number of cases under the State plan approved under this part in which there is a support order during the fiscal year.

(ii) Determination of applicable percentage The applicable percentage with respect to a States support order performance level is as follows: Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if the support order performance level of a State for a fiscal year is less than 50 percent but exceeds by at least 5 percentage points the support order performance level of the State for the immediately preceding fiscal year, then the applicable percentage with respect to the States support order performance level is 50 percent.

(i) Determination of current payment performance level The current payment performance level for a State for a fiscal year is equal to the total amount of current support collected during the fiscal year under the State plan approved under this part divided by the total amount of current support owed during the fiscal year in all cases under the State plan, expressed as a percentage.

(ii) Determination of applicable percentage The applicable percentage with respect to a States current payment performance level is as follows: Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if the current payment performance level of a State for a fiscal year is less than 40 percent but exceeds by at least 5 percentage points the current payment performance level of the State for the immediately preceding fiscal year, then the applicable percentage with respect to the States current payment performance level is 50 percent.

(D) Collections on child support arrearages

(i) Determination of arrearage payment performance level The arrearage payment performance level for a State for a fiscal year is equal to the total number of cases under the State plan approved under this part in which payments of past-due child support were received during the fiscal year and part or all of the payments were distributed to the family to whom the past-due child support was owed (or, if all past-due child support owed to the family was, at the time of receipt, subject to an assignment to the State, part or all of the payments were retained by the State) divided by the total number of cases under the State plan in which there is past-due child support, expressed as a percentage.

(ii) Determination of applicable percentage The applicable percentage with respect to a States arrearage payment performance level is as follows: Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if the arrearage payment performance level of a State for a fiscal year is less than 40 percent but exceeds by at least 5 percentage points the arrearage payment performance level of the State for the immediately preceding fiscal year, then the applicable percentage with respect to the States arrearage payment performance level is 50 percent.

(E) Cost-effectiveness

(i) Determination of cost-effectiveness performance level The cost-effectiveness performance level for a State for a fiscal year is equal to the total amount collected during the fiscal year under the State plan approved under this part divided by the total amount expended during the fiscal year under the State plan, expressed as a ratio.

(ii) Determination of applicable percentage The applicable percentage with respect to a States cost-effectiveness performance level is as follows:

(c) Treatment of interstate collections
In computing incentive payments under this section, support which is collected by a State at the request of another State shall be treated as having been collected in full by both States, and any amounts expended by a State in carrying out a special project assisted under section 655 (e) of this title shall be excluded.

(d) Administrative provisions
The amounts of the incentive payments to be made to the States under this section for a fiscal year shall be estimated by the Secretary at/or before the beginning of the fiscal year on the basis of the best information available. The Secretary shall make the payments for the fiscal year, on a quarterly basis (with each quarterly payment being made no later than the beginning of the quarter involved), in the amounts so estimated, reduced or increased to the extent of any overpayments or underpayments which the Secretary determines were made under this section to the States involved for prior periods and with respect to which adjustment has not already been made under this subsection. Upon the making of any estimate by the Secretary under the preceding sentence, any appropriations available for payments under this section are deemed obligated.

(e) Regulations
The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary governing the calculation of incentive payments under this section, including directions for excluding from the calculations certain closed cases and cases over which the States do not have jurisdiction.

(f) Reinvestment
A State to which a payment is made under this section shall expend the full amount of the payment to supplement, and not supplant, other funds used by the State

(1) to carry out the State plan approved under this part; or

(2) for any activity (including cost-effective contracts with local agencies) approved by the Secretary, whether or not the expenditures for the activity are eligible for reimbursement under this part, which may contribute to improving the effectiveness or efficiency of the State program operated under this part.

42 USC 659 - Consent by United States to income withholding, garnishment, and similar proceedings for enforcement of child support and alimony obligations

(a) Consent to support enforcement
Notwithstanding any other provision of law (including section 407 of this title and section 5301 of title 38), effective January 1, 1975, moneys (the entitlement to which is based upon remuneration for employment) due from, or payable by, the United States or the District of Columbia (including any agency, subdivision, or instrumentality thereof) to any individual, including members of the Armed Forces of the United States, shall be subject, in like manner and to the same extent as if the United States or the District of Columbia were a private person, to withholding in accordance with State law enacted pursuant to subsections (a)(1) and (b) of section 666 of this title and regulations of the Secretary under such subsections, and to any other legal process brought, by a State agency administering a program under a State plan approved under this part or by an individual obligee, to enforce the legal obligation of the individual to provide child support or alimony.

(b) Consent to requirements applicable to private person
With respect to notice to withhold income pursuant to subsection (a)(1) or (b) of section 666 of this title, or any other order or process to enforce support obligations against an individual (if the order or process contains or is accompanied by sufficient data to permit prompt identification of the individual and the moneys involved), each governmental entity specified in subsection (a) of this section shall be subject to the same requirements as would apply if the entity were a private person, except as otherwise provided in this section.

(1) Designation of agent
The head of each agency subject to this section shall

(A) designate an agent or agents to receive orders and accept service of process in matters relating to child support or alimony; and

(B) annually publish in the Federal Register the designation of the agent or agents, identified by title or position, mailing address, and telephone number.

(2) Response to notice or process
If an agent designated pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection receives notice pursuant to State procedures in effect pursuant to subsection (a)(1) or (b) of section 666 of this title, or is effectively served with any order, process, or interrogatory, with respect to an individuals child support or alimony payment obligations, the agent shall

(A) as soon as possible (but not later than 15 days) thereafter, send written notice of the notice or service (together with a copy of the notice or service) to the individual at the duty station or last-known home address of the individual;

(B) within 30 days (or such longer period as may be prescribed by applicable State law) after receipt of a notice pursuant to such State procedures, comply with all applicable provisions of section 666 of this title; and

(C) within 30 days (or such longer period as may be prescribed by applicable State law) after effective service of any other such order, process, or interrogatory, withhold available sums in response to the order or process, or answer the interrogatory.

(d) Priority of claims
If a governmental entity specified in subsection (a) of this section receives notice or is served with process, as provided in this section, concerning amounts owed by an individual to more than 1 person

(1) support collection under section 666 (b) of this title must be given priority over any other process, as provided in section 666 (b)(7) of this title;

(2) allocation of moneys due or payable to an individual among claimants under section 666 (b) of this title shall be governed by section 666 (b) of this title and the regulations prescribed under such section; and

(3) such moneys as remain after compliance with paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be available to satisfy any other such processes on a first-come, first-served basis, with any such process being satisfied out of such moneys as remain after the satisfaction of all such processes which have been previously served.

(e) No requirement to vary pay cycles
A governmental entity that is affected by legal process served for the enforcement of an individuals child support or alimony payment obligations shall not be required to vary its normal pay and disbursement cycle in order to comply with the legal process.

(f) Relief from liability

(1) Neither the United States, nor the government of the District of Columbia, nor any disbursing officer shall be liable with respect to any payment made from moneys due or payable from the United States to any individual pursuant to legal process regular on its face, if the payment is made in accordance with this section and the regulations issued to carry out this section.

(2) No Federal employee whose duties include taking actions necessary to comply with the requirements of subsection (a) of this section with regard to any individual shall be subject under any law to any disciplinary action or civil or criminal liability or penalty for, or on account of, any disclosure of information made by the employee in connection with the carrying out of such actions.

(g) Regulations
Authority to promulgate regulations for the implementation of this section shall, insofar as this section applies to moneys due from (or payable by)

(1) the United States (other than the legislative or judicial branches of the Federal Government) or the government of the District of Columbia, be vested in the President (or the designee of the President);

(2) the legislative branch of the Federal Government, be vested jointly in the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives (or their designees),^[1] and

(3) the judicial branch of the Federal Government, be vested in the Chief Justice of the United States (or the designee of the Chief Justice).

(h) Moneys subject to process

(1) In general
Subject to paragraph (2), moneys payable to an individual which are considered to be based upon remuneration for employment, for purposes of this section

(A) consist of

(i) compensation payable for personal services of the individual, whether the compensation is denominated as wages, salary, commission, bonus, pay, allowances, or otherwise (including severance pay, sick pay, and incentive pay);

(ii) periodic benefits (including a periodic benefit as defined in section 428 (h)(3) of this title) or other payments

(I) under the insurance system established by subchapter II of this chapter;

(II) under any other system or fund established by the United States which provides for the payment of pensions, retirement or retired pay, annuities, dependents or survivors benefits, or similar amounts payable on account of personal services performed by the individual or any other individual;

(III) as compensation for death under any Federal program;

(IV) under any Federal program established to provide black lung benefits; or

(V) by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs as compensation for a service-connected disability paid by the Secretary to a former member of the Armed Forces who is in receipt of retired or retainer pay if the former member has waived a portion of the retired or retainer pay in order to receive such compensation;

(iii) workers compensation benefits paid or payable under Federal or State law;

(iv) benefits paid or payable under the Railroad Retirement System,^[1] and

(v) special benefits for certain World War II veterans payable under subchapter VIII of this chapter; but

(B) do not include any payment

(i) by way of reimbursement or otherwise, to defray expenses incurred by the individual in carrying out duties associated with the employment of the individual;

(ii) as allowances for members of the uniformed services payable pursuant to chapter 7 of title 37, as prescribed by the Secretaries concerned (defined by section 101 (5) of title 37) as necessary for the efficient performance of duty; or

(iii) of periodic benefits under title 38, except as provided in subparagraph (A)(ii)(V).

(2) Certain amounts excluded
In determining the amount of any moneys due from, or payable by, the United States to any individual, there shall be excluded amounts which

(A) are owed by the individual to the United States;

(B) are required by law to be, and are, deducted from the remuneration or other payment involved, including Federal employment taxes, and fines and forfeitures ordered by court-martial;

(C) are properly withheld for Federal, State, or local income tax purposes, if the withholding of the amounts is authorized or required by law and if amounts withheld are not greater than would be the case if the individual claimed all dependents to which he was entitled (the withholding of additional amounts pursuant to section 3402(i) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 may be permitted only when the individual presents evidence of a tax obligation which supports the additional withholding);

(D) are deducted as health insurance premiums;

(E) are deducted as normal retirement contributions (not including amounts deducted for supplementary coverage); or

(F) are deducted as normal life insurance premiums from salary or other remuneration for employment (not including amounts deducted for supplementary coverage).

(i) Definitions
For purposes of this section

(1) United States
The term United States includes any department, agency, or instrumentality of the legislative, judicial, or executive branch of the Federal Government, the United States Postal Service, the Postal Regulatory Commission, any Federal corporation created by an Act of Congress that is wholly owned by the Federal Government, and the governments of the territories and possessions of the United States.

(2) Child support
The term child support, when used in reference to the legal obligations of an individual to provide such support, means amounts required to be paid under a judgment, decree, or order, whether temporary, final, or subject to modification, issued by a court or an administrative agency of competent jurisdiction, for the support and maintenance of a child, including a child who has attained the age of majority under the law of the issuing State, or a child and the parent with whom the child is living, which provides for monetary support, health care, arrearages or reimbursement, and which may include other related costs and fees, interest and penalties, income withholding, attorneys fees, and other relief.

(3) Alimony

(A) In general
The term alimony, when used in reference to the legal obligations of an individual to provide the same, means periodic payments of funds for the support and maintenance of the spouse (or former spouse) of the individual, and (subject to and in accordance with State law) includes separate maintenance, alimony pendente lite, maintenance, and spousal support, and includes attorneys fees, interest, and court costs when and to the extent that the same are expressly made recoverable as such pursuant to a decree, order, or judgment issued in accordance with applicable State law by a court of competent jurisdiction.

(B) Exceptions
Such term does not include

(i) any child support; or

(ii) any payment or transfer of property or its value by an individual to the spouse or a former spouse of the individual in compliance with any community property settlement, equitable distribution of property, or other division of property between spouses or former spouses.

(4) Private person
The term private person means a person who does not have sovereign or other special immunity or privilege which causes the person not to be subject to legal process.

(5) Legal process
The term legal process means any writ, order, summons, or other similar process in the nature of garnishment

(A) which is issued by

(i) a court or an administrative agency of competent jurisdiction in any State, territory, or possession of the United States;

(ii) a court or an administrative agency of competent jurisdiction in any foreign country with which the United States has entered into an agreement which requires the United States to honor the process; or

(iii) an authorized official pursuant to an order of such a court or an administrative agency of competent jurisdiction or pursuant to State or local law; and

(B) which is directed to, and the purpose of which is to compel, a governmental entity which holds moneys which are otherwise payable to an individual to make a payment from the moneys to another party in order to satisfy a legal obligation of the individual to provide child support or make alimony payments.

[1] So in original. The comma probably should be a semicolon.

42 USC 659a - International support enforcement

(a) Authority for declarations

(1) Declaration
The Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, is authorized to declare any foreign country (or a political subdivision thereof) to be a foreign reciprocating country if the foreign country has established, or undertakes to establish, procedures for the establishment and enforcement of duties of support owed to obligees who are residents of the United States, and such procedures are substantially in conformity with the standards prescribed under subsection (b) of this section.

(2) Revocation
A declaration with respect to a foreign country made pursuant to paragraph (1) may be revoked if the Secretaries of State and Health and Human Services determine that

(A) the procedures established by the foreign country regarding the establishment and enforcement of duties of support have been so changed, or the foreign countrys implementation of such procedures is so unsatisfactory, that such procedures do not meet the criteria for such a declaration; or

(B) continued operation of the declaration is not consistent with the purposes of this part.

(3) Form of declaration
A declaration under paragraph (1) may be made in the form of an international agreement, in connection with an international agreement or corresponding foreign declaration, or on a unilateral basis.

(b) Standards for foreign support enforcement procedures

(1) Mandatory elements
Support enforcement procedures of a foreign country which may be the subject of a declaration pursuant to subsection (a)(1) of this section shall include the following elements:

(A) The foreign country (or political subdivision thereof) has in effect procedures, available to residents of the United States

(i) for establishment of paternity, and for establishment of orders of support for children and custodial parents; and

(ii) for enforcement of orders to provide support to children and custodial parents, including procedures for collection and appropriate distribution of support payments under such orders.

(B) The procedures described in subparagraph (A), including legal and administrative assistance, are provided to residents of the United States at no cost.

(i) facilitating support enforcement in cases involving residents of the foreign country and residents of the United States; and

(ii) ensuring compliance with the standards established pursuant to this subsection.

(2) Additional elements
The Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of State, in consultation with the States, may establish such additional standards as may be considered necessary to further the purposes of this section.

(c) Designation of United States Central Authority
It shall be the responsibility of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to facilitate support enforcement in cases involving residents of the United States and residents of foreign countries that are the subject of a declaration under this section, by activities including

(1) development of uniform forms and procedures for use in such cases;

(2) notification of foreign reciprocating countries of the State of residence of individuals sought for support enforcement purposes, on the basis of information provided by the Federal Parent Locator Service; and

(3) such other oversight, assistance, and coordination activities as the Secretary may find necessary and appropriate.

(d) Effect on other laws
States may enter into reciprocal arrangements for the establishment and enforcement of support obligations with foreign countries that are not the subject of a declaration pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, to the extent consistent with Federal law.

42 USC 660 - Civil action to enforce child support obligations; jurisdiction of district courts

The district courts of the United States shall have jurisdiction, without regard to any amount in controversy, to hear and determine any civil action certified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under section 652 (a)(8) of this title. A civil action under this section may be brought in any judicial district in which the claim arose, the plaintiff resides, or the defendant resides.

661, 662. Repealed. Pub. L. 104193, title III, 362(b)(1), Aug. 22, 1996, 110 Stat. 2246

Section 661, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 461, as added May 23, 1977, Pub. L. 95–30, title V, § 501(c), 91 Stat. 158, related to regulations pertaining to garnishments. Section 662, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 462, as added May 23, 1977, Pub. L. 95–30, title V, § 501(d), 91 Stat. 159; amended July 18, 1984, Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VI, 2663(c)(17), 98 Stat. 1167; Oct. 22, 1986, Pub. L. 99–514, § 2, 100 Stat. 2095; June 13, 1991, Pub. L. 102–54, § 13(q)(3)(B)(ii), 105 Stat. 279, related to definitions for purposes of section 659 of this title.

42 USC 663 - Use of Federal Parent Locator Service in connection with enforcement or determination of child custody in cases of parental kidnaping of child

(a) Agreements with States for use of Federal Parent Locator Service
The Secretary shall enter into an agreement with every State under which the services of the Federal Parent Locator Service established under section 653 of this title shall be made available to each State for the purpose of determining the whereabouts of any parent or child when such information is to be used to locate such parent or child for the purpose of

(1) enforcing any State or Federal law with respect to the unlawful taking or restraint of a child; or

(2) making or enforcing a child custody or visitation determination.

(b) Requests from authorized persons for information
An agreement entered into under subsection (a) of this section shall provide that the State agency described in section 654 of this title will, under procedures prescribed by the Secretary in regulations, receive and transmit to the Secretary requests from authorized persons for information as to (or useful in determining) the whereabouts of any parent or child when such information is to be used to locate such parent or child for the purpose of

(1) enforcing any State or Federal law with respect to the unlawful taking or restraint of a child; or

(2) making or enforcing a child custody or visitation determination.

(c) Information which may be disclosed
Information authorized to be provided by the Secretary under subsection (a), (b), (e), or (f) of this section shall be subject to the same conditions with respect to disclosure as information authorized to be provided under section 653 of this title, and a request for information by the Secretary under this section shall be considered to be a request for information under section 653 of this title which is authorized to be provided under such section. Only information as to the most recent address and place of employment of any parent or child shall be provided under this section.

(d) “Custody or visitation determination” and “authorized person” defined
For purposes of this section

(1) the term custody or visitation determination means a judgment, decree, or other order of a court providing for the custody or visitation of a child, and includes permanent and temporary orders, and initial orders and modification;

(2) the term authorized person means

(A) any agent or attorney of any State having an agreement under this section, who has the duty or authority under the law of such State to enforce a child custody or visitation determination;

(B) any court having jurisdiction to make or enforce such a child custody or visitation determination, or any agent of such court; and

(C) any agent or attorney of the United States, or of a State having an agreement under this section, who has the duty or authority to investigate, enforce, or bring a prosecution with respect to the unlawful taking or restraint of a child.

(e) Agreement on use of Federal Parent Locator Service with United States Central Authority under Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction
The Secretary shall enter into an agreement with the Central Authority designated by the President in accordance with section 11606 of this title, under which the services of the Federal Parent Locator Service established under section 653 of this title shall be made available to such Central Authority upon its request for the purpose of locating any parent or child on behalf of an applicant to such Central Authority within the meaning of section 11602 (1) of this title. The Federal Parent Locator Service shall charge no fees for services requested pursuant to this subsection.

(f) Agreement to assist in locating missing children under Federal Parent Locator Service
The Secretary shall enter into an agreement with the Attorney General of the United States, under which the services of the Federal Parent Locator Service established under section 653 of this title shall be made available to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention upon its request to locate any parent or child on behalf of such Office for the purpose of

(1) enforcing any State or Federal law with respect to the unlawful taking or restraint of a child, or

(2) making or enforcing a child custody or visitation determination.

The Federal Parent Locator Service shall charge no fees for services requested pursuant to this subsection.

42 USC 664 - Collection of past-due support from Federal tax refunds

(a) Procedures applicable; distribution

(1) Upon receiving notice from a State agency administering a plan approved under this part that a named individual owes past-due support which has been assigned to such State pursuant to section 608 (a)(3) or section 671 (a)(17) of this title, the Secretary of the Treasury shall determine whether any amounts, as refunds of Federal taxes paid, are payable to such individual (regardless of whether such individual filed a tax return as a married or unmarried individual). If the Secretary of the Treasury finds that any such amount is payable, he shall withhold from such refunds an amount equal to the past-due support, shall concurrently send notice to such individual that the withholding has been made (including in or with such notice a notification to any other person who may have filed a joint return with such individual of the steps which such other person may take in order to secure his or her proper share of the refund), and shall pay such amount to the State agency (together with notice of the individuals home address) for distribution in accordance with section 657 of this title. This subsection may be executed by the disbursing official of the Department of the Treasury.

(2)

(A) Upon receiving notice from a State agency administering a plan approved under this part that a named individual owes past-due support which such State has agreed to collect under section 654 (4)(A)(ii) of this title, and that the State agency has sent notice to such individual in accordance with paragraph (3)(A), the Secretary of the Treasury shall determine whether any amounts, as refunds of Federal taxes paid, are payable to such individual (regardless of whether such individual filed a tax return as a married or unmarried individual). If the Secretary of the Treasury finds that any such amount is payable, he shall withhold from such refunds an amount equal to such past-due support, and shall concurrently send notice to such individual that the withholding has been made, including in or with such notice a notification to any other person who may have filed a joint return with such individual of the steps which such other person may take in order to secure his or her proper share of the refund. The Secretary of the Treasury shall pay the amount withheld to the State agency, and the State shall pay to the Secretary of the Treasury any fee imposed by the Secretary of the Treasury to cover the costs of the withholding and any required notification. The State agency shall, subject to paragraph (3)(B), distribute such amount to or on behalf of the child to whom the support was owed in accordance with section 657 of this title. This subsection may be executed by the Secretary of the Department of the Treasury or his designee.

(B) This paragraph shall apply only with respect to refunds payable under section 6402 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 after December 31, 1985.

(3)

(A) Prior to notifying the Secretary of the Treasury under paragraph (1) or (2) that an individual owes past-due support, the State shall send notice to such individual that a withholding will be made from any refund otherwise payable to such individual. The notice shall also

(i) instruct the individual owing the past-due support of the steps which may be taken to contest the States determination that past-due support is owed or the amount of the past-due support, and

(ii) provide information, as may be prescribed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services by regulation in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, with respect to procedures to be followed, in the case of a joint return, to protect the share of the refund which may be payable to another person.

(B) If the Secretary of the Treasury determines that an amount should be withheld under paragraph (1) or (2), and that the refund from which it should be withheld is based upon a joint return, the Secretary of the Treasury shall notify the State that the withholding is being made from a refund based upon a joint return, and shall furnish to the State the names and addresses of each taxpayer filing such joint return. In the case of a withholding under paragraph (2), the State may delay distribution of the amount withheld until the State has been notified by the Secretary of the Treasury that the other person filing the joint return has received his or her proper share of the refund, but such delay may not exceed six months.

(C) If the other person filing the joint return with the named individual owing the past-due support takes appropriate action to secure his or her proper share of a refund from which a withholding was made under paragraph (1) or (2), the Secretary of the Treasury shall pay such share to such other person. The Secretary of the Treasury shall deduct the amount of such payment from amounts subsequently payable to the State agency to which the amount originally withheld from such refund was paid.

(D) In any case in which an amount was withheld under paragraph (1) or (2) and paid to a State, and the State subsequently determines that the amount certified as past-due support was in excess of the amount actually owed at the time the amount withheld is to be distributed to or on behalf of the child, the State shall pay the excess amount withheld to the named individual thought to have owed the past-due support (or, in the case of amounts withheld on the basis of a joint return, jointly to the parties filing such return).

(b) Regulations; contents, etc.

(1) The Secretary of the Treasury shall issue regulations, approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, prescribing the time or times at which States must submit notices of past-due support, the manner in which such notices must be submitted, and the necessary information that must be contained in or accompany the notices. The regulations shall be consistent with the provisions of subsection (a)(3) of this section, shall specify the minimum amount of past-due support to which the offset procedure established by subsection (a) of this section may be applied, and the fee that a State must pay to reimburse the Secretary of the Treasury for the full cost of applying the offset procedure, and shall provide that the Secretary of the Treasury will advise the Secretary of Health and Human Services, not less frequently than annually, of the States which have furnished notices of past-due support under subsection (a) of this section, the number of cases in each State with respect to which such notices have been furnished, the amount of support sought to be collected under this subsection by each State, and the amount of such collections actually made in the case of each State. Any fee paid to the Secretary of the Treasury pursuant to this subsection may be used to reimburse appropriations which bore all or part of the cost of applying such procedure.

(2) In the case of withholdings made under subsection (a)(2) of this section, the regulations promulgated pursuant to this subsection shall include the following requirements:

(A) The withholding shall apply only in the case where the State determines that the amount of the past-due support which will be owed at the time the withholding is to be made, based upon the pattern of payment of support and other enforcement actions being pursued to collect the past-due support, is equal to or greater than $500. The State may limit the $500 threshold amount to amounts of past-due support accrued since the time that the State first began to enforce the child support order involved under the State plan, and may limit the application of the withholding to past-due support accrued since such time.

(B) The fee which the Secretary of the Treasury may impose to cover the costs of the withholding and notification may not exceed $25 per case submitted.

(c) “Past-due support” defined
In this part the term past-due support means the amount of a delinquency, determined under a court order, or an order of an administrative process established under State law, for support and maintenance of a child (whether or not a minor), or of a child (whether or not a minor) and the parent with whom the child is living.

42 USC 665 - Allotments from pay for child and spousal support owed by members of uniformed services on active duty

(a) Mandatory allotment; notice upon failure to make; amount of allotment; adjustment or discontinuance; consultation

(1) In any case in which child support payments or child and spousal support payments are owed by a member of one of the uniformed services (as defined in section 101 (3) of title 37) on active duty, such member shall be required to make allotments from his pay and allowances (under chapter 13 of title 37) as payment of such support, when he has failed to make periodic payments under a support order that meets the criteria specified in section 1673 (b)(1)(A) of title 15 and the resulting delinquency in such payments is in a total amount equal to the support payable for two months or longer. Failure to make such payments shall be established by notice from an authorized person (as defined in subsection (b) of this section) to the designated official in the appropriate uniformed service. Such notice (which shall in turn be given to the affected member) shall also specify the person to whom the allotment is to be payable. The amount of the allotment shall be the amount necessary to comply with the order (which, if the order so provides, may include arrearages as well as amounts for current support), except that the amount of the allotment, together with any other amounts withheld for support from the wages of the member, as a percentage of his pay from the uniformed service, shall not exceed the limits prescribed in sections^[1] 1673(b) and (c) of title 15. An allotment under this subsection shall be adjusted or discontinued upon notice from the authorized person.

(2) Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this subsection, no action shall be taken to require an allotment from the pay and allowances of any member of one of the uniformed services under such provisions

(A) until such member has had a consultation with a judge advocate of the service involved (as defined in section 801 (13) of title 10), or with a judge advocate (as defined in section 801(11)2 of such title) in the case of the Coast Guard, or with a legal officer designated by the Secretary concerned (as defined in section 101 (5) of title 37) in any other case, in person, to discuss the legal and other factors involved with respect to the members support obligation and his failure to make payments thereon, or

(B) until 30 days have elapsed after the notice described in the second sentence of paragraph (1) is given to the affected member in any case where it has not been possible, despite continuing good faith efforts, to arrange such a consultation.

(b) “Authorized person” defined
For purposes of this section the term authorized person with respect to any member of the uniformed services means

(1) any agent or attorney of a State having in effect a plan approved under this part who has the duty or authority under such plan to seek to recover any amounts owed by such member as child or child and spousal support (including, when authorized under the State plan, any official of a political subdivision); and

(2) the court which has authority to issue an order against such member for the support and maintenance of a child, or any agent of such court.

(c) Regulations
The Secretary of Defense, in the case of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, and the Secretary concerned (as defined in section 101 (5) of title 37) in the case of each of the other uniformed services, shall each issue regulations applicable to allotments to be made under this section, designating the officials to whom notice of failure to make support payments, or notice to discontinue or adjust an allotment, should be given, prescribing the form and content of the notice and specifying any other rules necessary for such Secretary to implement this section.

[1] So in original. Probably should be “section”.
[2] See References in Text note below.

42 USC 666 - Requirement of statutorily prescribed procedures to improve effectiveness of child support enforcement

(a) Types of procedures required
In order to satisfy section 654 (20)(A) of this title, each State must have in effect laws requiring the use of the following procedures, consistent with this section and with regulations of the Secretary, to increase the effectiveness of the program which the State administers under this part:

(1)

(A) Procedures described in subsection (b) of this section for the withholding from income of amounts payable as support in cases subject to enforcement under the State plan.

(B) Procedures under which the income of a person with a support obligation imposed by a support order issued (or modified) in the State before January 1, 1994, if not otherwise subject to withholding under subsection (b) of this section, shall become subject to withholding as provided in subsection (b) of this section if arrearages occur, without the need for a judicial or administrative hearing.

(2) Expedited administrative and judicial procedures (including the procedures specified in subsection (c) of this section) for establishing paternity and for establishing, modifying, and enforcing support obligations. The Secretary may waive the provisions of this paragraph with respect to one or more political subdivisions within the State on the basis of the effectiveness and timeliness of support order issuance and enforcement or paternity establishment within the political subdivision (in accordance with the general rule for exemptions under subsection (d) of this section).

(3) Procedures under which the State child support enforcement agency shall request, and the State shall provide, that for the purpose of enforcing a support order under any State plan approved under this part

(A) any refund of State income tax which would otherwise be payable to a noncustodial parent will be reduced, after notice has been sent to that noncustodial parent of the proposed reduction and the procedures to be followed to contest it (and after full compliance with all procedural due process requirements of the State), by the amount of any overdue support owed by such noncustodial parent;

(B) the amount by which such refund is reduced shall be distributed in accordance with section 657 of this title in the case of overdue support assigned to a State pursuant to section 608 (a)(3) or 671 (a)(17) of this title, or, in any other case, shall be distributed, after deduction of any fees imposed by the State to cover the costs of collection, to the child or parent to whom such support is owed; and

(C) notice of the noncustodial parents social security account number (or numbers, if he has more than one such number) and home address shall be furnished to the State agency requesting the refund offset, and to the State agency enforcing the order.

(4) Liens.—
Procedures under which

(A) liens arise by operation of law against real and personal property for amounts of overdue support owed by a noncustodial parent who resides or owns property in the State; and

(B) the State accords full faith and credit to liens described in subparagraph (A) arising in another State, when the State agency, party, or other entity seeking to enforce such a lien complies with the procedural rules relating to recording or serving liens that arise within the State, except that such rules may not require judicial notice or hearing prior to the enforcement of such a lien.

(5) Procedures concerning paternity establishment.—

(A) Establishment process available from birth until age 18.—

(i) Procedures which permit the establishment of the paternity of a child at any time before the child attains 18 years of age.

(ii) As of August 16, 1984, clause (i) shall also apply to a child for whom paternity has not been established or for whom a paternity action was brought but dismissed because a statute of limitations of less than 18 years was then in effect in the State.

(B) Procedures concerning genetic testing.—

(i) Genetic testing required in certain contested cases.—
Procedures under which the State is required, in a contested paternity case (unless otherwise barred by State law) to require the child and all other parties (other than individuals found under section 654 (29) of this title to have good cause and other exceptions for refusing to cooperate) to submit to genetic tests upon the request of any such party, if the request is supported by a sworn statement by the party

(I) alleging paternity, and setting forth facts establishing a reasonable possibility of the requisite sexual contact between the parties; or

(II) denying paternity, and setting forth facts establishing a reasonable possibility of the nonexistence of sexual contact between the parties.

(ii) Other requirements.—
Procedures which require the State agency, in any case in which the agency orders genetic testing

(I) to pay costs of such tests, subject to recoupment (if the State so elects) from the alleged father if paternity is established; and

(II) to obtain additional testing in any case if an original test result is contested, upon request and advance payment by the contestant.

(i) Simple civil process.—
Procedures for a simple civil process for voluntarily acknowledging paternity under which the State must provide that, before a mother and a putative father can sign an acknowledgment of paternity, the mother and the putative father must be given notice, orally, or through the use of video or audio equipment, and in writing, of the alternatives to, the legal consequences of, and the rights (including, if 1 parent is a minor, any rights afforded due to minority status) and responsibilities that arise from, signing the acknowledgment.

(ii) Hospital-based program.—
Such procedures must include a hospital-based program for the voluntary acknowledgment of paternity focusing on the period immediately before or after the birth of a child.

(iii) Paternity establishment services.—

(I) State-offered services.—
Such procedures must require the State agency responsible for maintaining birth records to offer voluntary paternity establishment services.

(II) Regulations.—

(aa) Services offered by hospitals and birth record agencies.—
The Secretary shall prescribe regulations governing voluntary paternity establishment services offered by hospitals and birth record agencies.

(bb) Services offered by other entities.—
The Secretary shall prescribe regulations specifying the types of other entities that may offer voluntary paternity establishment services, and governing the provision of such services, which shall include a requirement that such an entity must use the same notice provisions used by, use the same materials used by, provide the personnel providing such services with the same training provided by, and evaluate the provision of such services in the same manner as the provision of such services is evaluated by, voluntary paternity establishment programs of hospitals and birth record agencies.

(iv) Use of paternity acknowledgment affidavit.—
Such procedures must require the State to develop and use an affidavit for the voluntary acknowledgment of paternity which includes the minimum requirements of the affidavit specified by the Secretary under section 652 (a)(7) of this title for the voluntary acknowledgment of paternity, and to give full faith and credit to such an affidavit signed in any other State according to its procedures.

(D) Status of signed paternity acknowledgment.—

(i) Inclusion in birth records.—
Procedures under which the name of the father shall be included on the record of birth of the child of unmarried parents only if

(I) the father and mother have signed a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity; or

(II) a court or an administrative agency of competent jurisdiction has issued an adjudication of paternity.

Nothing in this clause shall preclude a State agency from obtaining an admission of paternity from the father for submission in a judicial or administrative proceeding, or prohibit the issuance of an order in a judicial or administrative proceeding which bases a legal finding of paternity on an admission of paternity by the father and any other additional showing required by State law.

(ii) Legal finding of paternity.—
Procedures under which a signed voluntary acknowledgment of paternity is considered a legal finding of paternity, subject to the right of any signatory to rescind the acknowledgment within the earlier of

(I) 60 days; or

(II) the date of an administrative or judicial proceeding relating to the child (including a proceeding to establish a support order) in which the signatory is a party.

(iii) Contest.—
Procedures under which, after the 60-day period referred to in clause (ii), a signed voluntary acknowledgment of paternity may be challenged in court only on the basis of fraud, duress, or material mistake of fact, with the burden of proof upon the challenger, and under which the legal responsibilities (including child support obligations) of any signatory arising from the acknowledgment may not be suspended during the challenge, except for good cause shown.

(E) Bar on acknowledgment ratification proceedings.—
Procedures under which judicial or administrative proceedings are not required or permitted to ratify an unchallenged acknowledgment of paternity.

(F) Admissibility of genetic testing results.—
Procedures

(i) requiring the admission into evidence, for purposes of establishing paternity, of the results of any genetic test that is

(I) of a type generally acknowledged as reliable by accreditation bodies designated by the Secretary; and

(II) performed by a laboratory approved by such an accreditation body;

(ii) requiring an objection to genetic testing results to be made in writing not later than a specified number of days before any hearing at which the results may be introduced into evidence (or, at State option, not later than a specified number of days after receipt of the results); and

(iii) making the test results admissible as evidence of paternity without the need for foundation testimony or other proof of authenticity or accuracy, unless objection is made.

(G) Presumption of paternity in certain cases.—
Procedures which create a rebuttable or, at the option of the State, conclusive presumption of paternity upon genetic testing results indicating a threshold probability that the alleged father is the father of the child.

(H) Default orders.—
Procedures requiring a default order to be entered in a paternity case upon a showing of service of process on the defendant and any additional showing required by State law.

(I) No right to jury trial.—
Procedures providing that the parties to an action to establish paternity are not entitled to a trial by jury.

(J) Temporary support order based on probable paternity in contested cases.—
Procedures which require that a temporary order be issued, upon motion by a party, requiring the provision of child support pending an administrative or judicial determination of parentage, if there is clear and convincing evidence of paternity (on the basis of genetic tests or other evidence).

(K) Proof of certain support and paternity establishment costs.—
Procedures under which bills for pregnancy, childbirth, and genetic testing are admissible as evidence without requiring third-party foundation testimony, and shall constitute prima facie evidence of amounts incurred for such services or for testing on behalf of the child.

(L) Standing of putative fathers.—
Procedures ensuring that the putative father has a reasonable opportunity to initiate a paternity action.

(M) Filing of acknowledgments and adjudications in state registry of birth records.—
Procedures under which voluntary acknowledgments and adjudications of paternity by judicial or administrative processes are filed with the State registry of birth records for comparison with information in the State case registry.

(6) Procedures which require that a noncustodial parent give security, post a bond, or give some other guarantee to secure payment of overdue support, after notice has been sent to such noncustodial parent of the proposed action and of the procedures to be followed to contest it (and after full compliance with all procedural due process requirements of the State).

(7) Reporting arrearages to credit bureaus.—

(A) In general.—
Procedures (subject to safeguards pursuant to subparagraph (B)) requiring the State to report periodically to consumer reporting agencies (as defined in section 1681a (f) of title 15) the name of any noncustodial parent who is delinquent in the payment of support, and the amount of overdue support owed by such parent.

(B) Safeguards.—
Procedures ensuring that, in carrying out subparagraph (A), information with respect to a noncustodial parent is reported

(i) only after such parent has been afforded all due process required under State law, including notice and a reasonable opportunity to contest the accuracy of such information; and

(ii) only to an entity that has furnished evidence satisfactory to the State that the entity is a consumer reporting agency (as so defined).

(8)

(A) Procedures under which all child support orders not described in subparagraph (B) will include provision for withholding from income, in order to assure that withholding as a means of collecting child support is available if arrearages occur without the necessity of filing application for services under this part.

(B) Procedures under which all child support orders which are initially issued in the State on or after January 1, 1994, and are not being enforced under this part will include the following requirements:

(i) The income of a noncustodial parent shall be subject to withholding, regardless of whether support payments by such parent are in arrears, on the effective date of the order; except that such income shall not be subject to withholding under this clause in any case where

(I) one of the parties demonstrates, and the court (or administrative process) finds, that there is good cause not to require immediate income withholding, or

(II) a written agreement is reached between both parties which provides for an alternative arrangement.

(ii) The requirements of subsection (b)(1) of this section (which shall apply in the case of each noncustodial parent against whom a support order is or has been issued or modified in the State, without regard to whether the order is being enforced under the State plan).

(iii) The requirements of paragraphs (2), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), and (10) of subsection (b) of this section, where applicable.

(iv) Withholding from income of amounts payable as support must be carried out in full compliance with all procedural due process requirements of the State.

(9) Procedures which require that any payment or installment of support under any child support order, whether ordered through the State judicial system or through the expedited processes required by paragraph (2), is (on and after the date it is due)

(A) a judgment by operation of law, with the full force, effect, and attributes of a judgment of the State, including the ability to be enforced,

(B) entitled as a judgment to full faith and credit in such State and in any other State, and

except that such procedures may permit modification with respect to any period during which there is pending a petition for modification, but only from the date that notice of such petition has been given, either directly or through the appropriate agent, to the obligee or (where the obligee is the petitioner) to the obligor.

(10) Review and adjustment of support orders upon request.—

(A) 3-year cycle.—

(i) In general.—
Procedures under which every 3 years (or such shorter cycle as the State may determine), upon the request of either parent or if there is an assignment under part A of this subchapter, the State shall with respect to a support order being enforced under this part, taking into account the best interests of the child involved

(I) review and, if appropriate, adjust the order in accordance with the guidelines established pursuant to section 667 (a) of this title if the amount of the child support award under the order differs from the amount that would be awarded in accordance with the guidelines;

(II) apply a cost-of-living adjustment to the order in accordance with a formula developed by the State; or

(III) use automated methods (including automated comparisons with wage or State income tax data) to identify orders eligible for review, conduct the review, identify orders eligible for adjustment, and apply the appropriate adjustment to the orders eligible for adjustment under any threshold that may be established by the State.

(ii) Opportunity to request review of adjustment.—
If the State elects to conduct the review under subclause (II) or (III) of clause (i), procedures which permit either party to contest the adjustment, within 30 days after the date of the notice of the adjustment, by making a request for review and, if appropriate, adjustment of the order in accordance with the child support guidelines established pursuant to section 667 (a) of this title.

(iii) No proof of change in circumstances necessary in 3-year cycle review.—
Procedures which provide that any adjustment under clause (i) shall be made without a requirement for proof or showing of a change in circumstances.

(B) Proof of substantial change in circumstances necessary in request for review outside 3-year cycle.—
Procedures under which, in the case of a request for a review, and if appropriate, an adjustment outside the 3-year cycle (or such shorter cycle as the State may determine) under clause (i), the State shall review and, if the requesting party demonstrates a substantial change in circumstances, adjust the order in accordance with the guidelines established pursuant to section 667 (a) of this title.

(C) Notice of right to review.—
Procedures which require the State to provide notice not less than once every 3 years to the parents subject to the order informing the parents of their right to request the State to review and, if appropriate, adjust the order pursuant to this paragraph. The notice may be included in the order.

(11) Procedures under which a State must give full faith and credit to a determination of paternity made by any other State, whether established through voluntary acknowledgment or through administrative or judicial processes.

(12) Locator information from interstate networks.—
Procedures to ensure that all Federal and State agencies conducting activities under this part have access to any system used by the State to locate an individual for purposes relating to motor vehicles or law enforcement.

(13) Recording of social security numbers in certain family matters.—
Procedures requiring that the social security number of

(A) any applicant for a professional license, drivers license, occupational license, recreational license, or marriage license be recorded on the application;

(B) any individual who is subject to a divorce decree, support order, or paternity determination or acknowledgment be placed in the records relating to the matter; and

For purposes of subparagraph (A), if a State allows the use of a number other than the social security number to be used on the face of the document while the social security number is kept on file at the agency, the State shall so advise any applicants.

(14) High-volume, automated administrative enforcement in interstate cases.—

(A) In general.—
Procedures under which

(i) the State shall use high-volume automated administrative enforcement, to the same extent as used for intrastate cases, in response to a request made by another State to enforce support orders, and shall promptly report the results of such enforcement procedure to the requesting State;

(ii) the State may, by electronic or other means, transmit to another State a request for assistance in enforcing support orders through high-volume, automated administrative enforcement, which request

(I) shall include such information as will enable the State to which the request is transmitted to compare the information about the cases to the information in the data bases of the State; and

(II) shall constitute a certification by the requesting State

(aa) of the amount of support under an order the payment of which is in arrears; and

(bb) that the requesting State has complied with all procedural due process requirements applicable to each case;

(iii) if the State provides assistance to another State pursuant to this paragraph with respect to a case, neither State shall consider the case to be transferred to the caseload of such other State (but the assisting State may establish a corresponding case based on such other States request for assistance); and

(iv) the State shall maintain records of

(I) the number of such requests for assistance received by the State;

(II) the number of cases for which the State collected support in response to such a request; and

(III) the amount of such collected support.

(B) High-volume automated administrative enforcement.—
In this part, the term high-volume automated administrative enforcement, in interstate cases, means, on request of another State, the identification by a State, through automated data matches with financial institutions and other entities where assets may be found, of assets owned by persons who owe child support in other States, and the seizure of such assets by the State, through levy or other appropriate processes.

(15) Procedures to ensure that persons owing overdue support work or have a plan for payment of such support.—
Procedures under which the State has the authority, in any case in which an individual owes overdue support with respect to a child receiving assistance under a State program funded under part A of this subchapter, to issue an order or to request that a court or an administrative process established pursuant to State law issue an order that requires the individual to

(A) pay such support in accordance with a plan approved by the court, or, at the option of the State, a plan approved by the State agency administering the State program under this part; or

(B) if the individual is subject to such a plan and is not incapacitated, participate in such work activities (as defined in section 607 (d) of this title) as the court, or, at the option of the State, the State agency administering the State program under this part, deems appropriate.

(16) Authority to withhold or suspend licenses.—
Procedures under which the State has (and uses in appropriate cases) authority to withhold or suspend, or to restrict the use of drivers licenses, professional and occupational licenses, and recreational and sporting licenses of individuals owing overdue support or failing, after receiving appropriate notice, to comply with subpoenas or warrants relating to paternity or child support proceedings.

(17) Financial institution data matches.—

(A) In general.—
Procedures under which the State agency shall enter into agreements with financial institutions doing business in the State

(i) to develop and operate, in coordination with such financial institutions, and the Federal Parent Locator Service in the case of financial institutions doing business in two or more States, a data match system, using automated data exchanges to the maximum extent feasible, in which each such financial institution is required to provide for each calendar quarter the name, record address, social security number or other taxpayer identification number, and other identifying information for each noncustodial parent who maintains an account at such institution and who owes past-due support, as identified by the State by name and social security number or other taxpayer identification number; and

(ii) in response to a notice of lien or levy, encumber or surrender, as the case may be, assets held by such institution on behalf of any noncustodial parent who is subject to a child support lien pursuant to paragraph (4).

(B) Reasonable fees.—
The State agency may pay a reasonable fee to a financial institution for conducting the data match provided for in subparagraph (A)(i), not to exceed the actual costs incurred by such financial institution.

(i) for any disclosure of information to the State agency under subparagraph (A)(i);

(ii) for encumbering or surrendering any assets held by such financial institution in response to a notice of lien or levy issued by the State agency as provided for in subparagraph (A)(ii); or

(iii) for any other action taken in good faith to comply with the requirements of subparagraph (A).

(D) Definitions.—
For purposes of this paragraph

(i) Financial institution.—
The term financial institution has the meaning given to such term by section 669A (d)(1) of this title.

(ii) Account.—
The term account means a demand deposit account, checking or negotiable withdrawal order account, savings account, time deposit account, or money-market mutual fund account.

(18) Enforcement of orders against paternal or maternal grandparents.—
Procedures under which, at the States option, any child support order enforced under this part with respect to a child of minor parents, if the custodial parent of such child is receiving assistance under the State program under part A of this subchapter, shall be enforceable, jointly and severally, against the parents of the noncustodial parent of such child.

(19) Health care coverage.—
Procedures under which

(A) effective as provided in section 401(c)(3) of the Child Support Performance and Incentive Act of 1998, all child support orders enforced pursuant to this part shall include a provision for medical support for the child to be provided by either or both parents, and shall be enforced, where appropriate, through the use of the National Medical Support Notice promulgated pursuant to section 401(b) of the Child Support Performance and Incentive Act of 1998 (and referred to in section 609(a)(5)(C) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 [29 U.S.C. 1169 (a)(5)(C)] in connection with group health plans covered under title I of such Act [29 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.], in section 401(e) of the Child Support Performance and Incentive Act of 1998 in connection with State or local group health plans, and in section 401(f) of such Act in connection with church group health plans);

(B) unless alternative coverage is allowed for in any order of the court (or other entity issuing the child support order), in any case in which a parent is required under the child support order to provide such health care coverage and the employer of such parent is known to the State agency

(i) the State agency uses the National Medical Support Notice to transfer notice of the provision for the health care coverage of the child to the employer;

(ii) within 20 business days after the date of the National Medical Support Notice, the employer is required to transfer the Notice, excluding the severable employer withholding notice described in section 401(b)(2)(C) of the Child Support Performance and Incentive Act of 1998, to the appropriate plan providing any such health care coverage for which the child is eligible;

(iii) in any case in which the parent is a newly hired employee entered in the State Directory of New Hires pursuant to section 653a (e) of this title, the State agency provides, where appropriate, the National Medical Support Notice, together with an income withholding notice issued pursuant to subsection (b), within two days after the date of the entry of such employee in such Directory; and

(iv) in any case in which the employment of the parent with any employer who has received a National Medical Support Notice is terminated, such employer is required to notify the State agency of such termination; and

(C) any liability of the obligated parent to such plan for employee contributions which are required under such plan for enrollment of the child is effectively subject to appropriate enforcement, unless the obligated parent contests such enforcement based on a mistake of fact.

Notwithstanding section 654 (20)(B) of this title, the procedures which are required under paragraphs (3), (4), (6), (7), and (15) need not be used or applied in cases where the State determines (using guidelines which are generally available within the State and which take into account the payment record of the noncustodial parent, the availability of other remedies, and other relevant considerations) that such use or application would not carry out the purposes of this part or would be otherwise inappropriate in the circumstances.

(b) Withholding from income of amounts payable as support
The procedures referred to in subsection (a)(1)(A) of this section (relating to the withholding from income of amounts payable as support) must provide for the following:

(1) In the case of each noncustodial parent against whom a support order is or has been issued or modified in the State, and is being enforced under the State plan, so much of such parents income must be withheld, in accordance with the succeeding provisions of this subsection, as is necessary to comply with the order and provide for the payment of any fee to the employer which may be required under paragraph (6)(A), up to the maximum amount permitted under section 1673 (b) of title 15. If there are arrearages to be collected, amounts withheld to satisfy such arrearages, when added to the amounts withheld to pay current support and provide for the fee, may not exceed the limit permitted under such section 1673 (b), but the State need not withhold up to the maximum amount permitted under such section in order to satisfy arrearages.

(2) Such withholding must be provided without the necessity of any application therefor in the case of a child (whether or not eligible for assistance under a State program funded under part A of this subchapter) with respect to whom services are already being provided under the State plan under this part, and must be provided in accordance with this subsection on the basis of an application for services under the State plan in the case of any other child in whose behalf a support order has been issued or modified in the State. In either case such withholding must occur without the need for any amendment to the support order involved or for any further action (other than those actions required under this part) by the court or other entity which issued such order.

(3)

(A) The income of a noncustodial parent shall be subject to such withholding, regardless of whether support payments by such parent are in arrears, in the case of a support order being enforced under this part that is issued or modified on or after the first day of the 25th month beginning after October 13, 1988, on the effective date of the order; except that such income shall not be subject to such withholding under this subparagraph in any case where

(i) one of the parties demonstrates, and the court (or administrative process) finds, that there is good cause not to require immediate income withholding, or

(ii) a written agreement is reached between both parties which provides for an alternative arrangement.

(B) The income of a noncustodial parent shall become subject to such withholding, in the case of income not subject to withholding under subparagraph (A), on the date on which the payments which the noncustodial parent has failed to make under a support order are at least equal to the support payable for one month or, if earlier, and without regard to whether there is an arrearage, the earliest of

(i) the date as of which the noncustodial parent requests that such withholding begin,

(ii) the date as of which the custodial parent requests that such withholding begin, if the State determines, in accordance with such procedures and standards as it may establish, that the request should be approved, or

(iii) such earlier date as the State may select.

(4)

(A) Such withholding must be carried out in full compliance with all procedural due process requirements of the State, and the State must send notice to each noncustodial parent to whom paragraph (1) applies

(i) that the withholding has commenced; and

(ii) of the procedures to follow if the noncustodial parent desires to contest such withholding on the grounds that the withholding or the amount withheld is improper due to a mistake of fact.

(B) The notice under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall include the information provided to the employer under paragraph (6)(A).

(5) Such withholding must be administered by the State through the State disbursement unit established pursuant to section 654b of this title, in accordance with the requirements of section 654b of this title.

(6)

(A)

(i) The employer of any noncustodial parent to whom paragraph (1) applies, upon being given notice as described in clause (ii), must be required to withhold from such noncustodial parents income the amount specified by such notice (which may include a fee, established by the State, to be paid to the employer unless waived by such employer) and pay such amount (after deducting and retaining any portion thereof which represents the fee so established) to the State disbursement unit within 7 business days after the date the amount would (but for this subsection) have been paid or credited to the employee, for distribution in accordance with this part. The employer shall withhold funds as directed in the notice, except that when an employer receives an income withholding order issued by another State, the employer shall apply the income withholding law of the State of the obligors principal place of employment in determining

(I) the employers fee for processing an income withholding order;

(II) the maximum amount permitted to be withheld from the obligors income;

(III) the time periods within which the employer must implement the income withholding order and forward the child support payment;

(IV) the priorities for withholding and allocating income withheld for multiple child support obligees; and

(V) any withholding terms or conditions not specified in the order.

An employer who complies with an income withholding notice that is regular on its face shall not be subject to civil liability to any individual or agency for conduct in compliance with the notice.

(ii) The notice given to the employer shall be in a standard format prescribed by the Secretary, and contain only such information as may be necessary for the employer to comply with the withholding order.

(iii) As used in this subparagraph, the term business day means a day on which State offices are open for regular business.

(B) Methods must be established by the State to simplify the withholding process for employers to the greatest extent possible, including permitting any employer to combine all withheld amounts into a single payment to each appropriate agency or entity (with the portion thereof which is attributable to each individual employee being separately designated).

(C) The employer must be held liable to the State for any amount which such employer fails to withhold from income due an employee following receipt by such employer of proper notice under subparagraph (A), but such employer shall not be required to vary the normal pay and disbursement cycles in order to comply with this paragraph.

(D) Provision must be made for the imposition of a fine against any employer who

(i) discharges from employment, refuses to employ, or takes disciplinary action against any noncustodial parent subject to income withholding required by this subsection because of the existence of such withholding and the obligations or additional obligations which it imposes upon the employer; or

(ii) fails to withhold support from income or to pay such amounts to the State disbursement unit in accordance with this subsection.

(7) Support collection under this subsection must be given priority over any other legal process under State law against the same income.

(8) For purposes of subsection (a) of this section and this subsection, the term income means any periodic form of payment due to an individual, regardless of source, including wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, workers compensation, disability, payments pursuant to a pension or retirement program, and interest.

(9) The State must extend its withholding system under this subsection so that such system will include withholding from income derived within such State in cases where the applicable support orders were issued in other States, in order to assure that child support owed by noncustodial parents in such State or any other State will be collected without regard to the residence of the child for whom the support is payable or of such childs custodial parent.

(10) Provision must be made for terminating withholding.

(11) Procedures under which the agency administering the State plan approved under this part may execute a withholding order without advance notice to the obligor, including issuing the withholding order through electronic means.

(1) Administrative action by State agency
Procedures which give the State agency the authority to take the following actions relating to establishment of paternity or to establishment, modification, or enforcement of support orders, without the necessity of obtaining an order from any other judicial or administrative tribunal, and to recognize and enforce the authority of State agencies of other States to take the following actions:

(A) Genetic testing
To order genetic testing for the purpose of paternity establishment as provided in subsection (a)(5) of this section.

(B) Financial or other information
To subpoena any financial or other information needed to establish, modify, or enforce a support order, and to impose penalties for failure to respond to such a subpoena.

(C) Response to State agency request
To require all entities in the State (including for-profit, nonprofit">nonprofit, and governmental employers) to provide promptly, in response to a request by the State agency of that or any other State administering a program under this part, information on the employment, compensation, and benefits of any individual employed by such entity as an employee or contractor, and to sanction failure to respond to any such request.

(D) Access to information contained in certain records
To obtain access, subject to safeguards on privacy and information security, and subject to the nonliability of entities that afford such access under this subparagraph, to information contained in the following records (including automated access, in the case of records maintained in automated data bases):

(i) Records of other State and local government agencies, including

(I) vital statistics (including records of marriage, birth, and divorce);

(II) State and local tax and revenue records (including information on residence address, employer, income and assets);

(III) records concerning real and titled personal property;

(IV) records of occupational and professional licenses, and records concerning the ownership and control of corporations, partnerships, and other business entities;

(V) employment security records;

(VI) records of agencies administering public assistance programs;

(VII) records of the motor vehicle department; and

(VIII) corrections records.

(ii) Certain records held by private entities with respect to individuals who owe or are owed support (or against or with respect to whom a support obligation is sought), consisting of

(I) the names and addresses of such individuals and the names and addresses of the employers of such individuals, as appearing in customer records of public utilities and cable television companies, pursuant to an administrative subpoena authorized by subparagraph (B); and

(II) information (including information on assets and liabilities) on such individuals held by financial institutions.

(E) Change in payee
In cases in which support is subject to an assignment in order to comply with a requirement imposed pursuant to part A of this subchapter, part E of this subchapter, or section 1396k of this title, or to a requirement to pay through the State disbursement unit established pursuant to section 654b of this title, upon providing notice to obligor and obligee, to direct the obligor or other payor to change the payee to the appropriate government entity.

(F) Income withholding
To order income withholding in accordance with subsections (a)(1)(A) and (b) of this section.

(G) Securing assets
In cases in which there is a support arrearage, to secure assets to satisfy any current support obligation and the arrearage by

(i) intercepting or seizing periodic or lump-sum payments from

(I) a State or local agency, including unemployment compensation, workers compensation, and other benefits; and

(II) judgments, settlements, and lotteries;

(ii) attaching and seizing assets of the obligor held in financial institutions;

(iii) attaching public and private retirement funds; and

(iv) imposing liens in accordance with subsection (a)(4) of this section and, in appropriate cases, to force sale of property and distribution of proceeds.

(H) Increase monthly payments
For the purpose of securing overdue support, to increase the amount of monthly support payments to include amounts for arrearages, subject to such conditions or limitations as the State may provide.

Such procedures shall be subject to due process safeguards, including (as appropriate) requirements for notice, opportunity to contest the action, and opportunity for an appeal on the record to an independent administrative or judicial tribunal.

(2) Substantive and procedural rules
The expedited procedures required under subsection (a)(2) of this section shall include the following rules and authority, applicable with respect to all proceedings to establish paternity or to establish, modify, or enforce support orders:

(A) Locator information; presumptions concerning notice
Procedures under which

(i) each party to any paternity or child support proceeding is required (subject to privacy safeguards) to file with the State case registry upon entry of an order, and to update as appropriate, information on location and identity of the party, including social security number, residential and mailing addresses, telephone number, drivers license number, and name, address, and telephone number of employer; and

(ii) in any subsequent child support enforcement action between the parties, upon sufficient showing that diligent effort has been made to ascertain the location of such a party, the court or administrative agency of competent jurisdiction shall deem State due process requirements for notice and service of process to be met with respect to the party, upon delivery of written notice to the most recent residential or employer address filed with the State case registry pursuant to clause (i).

(B) Statewide jurisdiction
Procedures under which

(i) the State agency and any administrative or judicial tribunal with authority to hear child support and paternity cases exerts statewide jurisdiction over the parties; and

(ii) in a State in which orders are issued by courts or administrative tribunals, a case may be transferred between local jurisdictions in the State without need for any additional filing by the petitioner, or service of process upon the respondent, to retain jurisdiction over the parties.

(3) Coordination with ERISA
Notwithstanding subsection (d) of section 514 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 [29 U.S.C. 1144 (d)] (relating to effect on other laws), nothing in this subsection shall be construed to alter, amend, modify, invalidate, impair, or supersede subsections (a), (b), and (c) of such section 514 [29 U.S.C. 1144 (a)(c)] as it applies with respect to any procedure referred to in paragraph (1) and any expedited procedure referred to in paragraph (2), except to the extent that such procedure would be consistent with the requirements of section 206(d)(3) of such Act [29 U.S.C. 1056 (d)(3)] (relating to qualified domestic relations orders) or the requirements of section 609(a) of such Act [29 U.S.C. 1169 (a)] (relating to qualified medical child support orders) if the reference in such section 206 (d)(3) to a domestic relations order and the reference in such section 609 (a) to a medical child support order were a reference to a support order referred to in paragraphs (1) and (2) relating to the same matters, respectively.

(d) Exemption of States
If a State demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Secretary, through the presentation to the Secretary of such data pertaining to caseloads, processing times, administrative costs, and average support collections, and such other data or estimates as the Secretary may specify, that the enactment of any law or the use of any procedure or procedures required by or pursuant to this section will not increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the State child support enforcement program, the Secretary may exempt the State, subject to the Secretarys continuing review and to termination of the exemption should circumstances change, from the requirement to enact the law or use the procedure or procedures involved.

(e) “Overdue support” defined
For purposes of this section, the term overdue support means the amount of a delinquency pursuant to an obligation determined under a court order, or an order of an administrative process established under State law, for support and maintenance of a minor child which is owed to or on behalf of such child, or for support and maintenance of the noncustodial parents spouse (or former spouse) with whom the child is living if and to the extent that spousal support (with respect to such spouse or former spouse) would be included for purposes of section 654 (4) of this title. At the option of the State, overdue support may include amounts which otherwise meet the definition in the first sentence of this subsection but which are owed to or on behalf of a child who is not a minor child. The option to include support owed to children who are not minors shall apply independently to each procedure specified under this section.

(f) Uniform Interstate Family Support Act
In order to satisfy section 654 (20)(A) of this title, on and after January 1, 1998, each State must have in effect the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, as approved by the American Bar Association on February 9, 1993, and as in effect on August 22, 1996, including any amendments officially adopted as of such date by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws.

(g) Laws voiding fraudulent transfers
In order to satisfy section 654 (20)(A) of this title, each State must have in effect

(1)

(A) the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act of 1981;

(B) the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act of 1984; or

(C) another law, specifying indicia of fraud which create a prima facie case that a debtor transferred income or property to avoid payment to a child support creditor, which the Secretary finds affords comparable rights to child support creditors; and

(2) procedures under which, in any case in which the State knows of a transfer by a child support debtor with respect to which such a prima facie case is established, the State must

(A) seek to void such transfer; or

(B) obtain a settlement in the best interests of the child support creditor.

42 USC 667 - State guidelines for child support awards

(a) Establishment of guidelines; method
Each State, as a condition for having its State plan approved under this part, must establish guidelines for child support award amounts within the State. The guidelines may be established by law or by judicial or administrative action, and shall be reviewed at least once every 4 years to ensure that their application results in the determination of appropriate child support award amounts.

(b) Availability of guidelines; rebuttable presumption

(1) The guidelines established pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be made available to all judges and other officials who have the power to determine child support awards within such State.

(2) There shall be a rebuttable presumption, in any judicial or administrative proceeding for the award of child support, that the amount of the award which would result from the application of such guidelines is the correct amount of child support to be awarded. A written finding or specific finding on the record that the application of the guidelines would be unjust or inappropriate in a particular case, as determined under criteria established by the State, shall be sufficient to rebut the presumption in that case.

(c) Technical assistance to States; State to furnish Secretary with copies
The Secretary shall furnish technical assistance to the States for establishing the guidelines, and each State shall furnish the Secretary with copies of its guidelines.

42 USC 668 - Encouragement of States to adopt civil procedure for establishing paternity in contested cases

In the administration of the child support enforcement program under this part, each State is encouraged to establish and implement a civil procedure for establishing paternity in contested cases.

42 USC 669 - Collection and reporting of child support enforcement data

(a) In general
With respect to each type of service described in subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary shall collect and maintain up-to-date statistics, by State, and on a fiscal year basis, on

(1) the number of cases in the caseload of the State agency administering the plan approved under this part in which the service is needed; and

(2) the number of such cases in which the service has actually been provided.

(b) Types of services
The statistics required by subsection (a) of this section shall be separately stated with respect to paternity establishment services and child support obligation establishment services.

(c) Types of service recipients
The statistics required by subsection (a) of this section shall be separately stated with respect to

(1) recipients of assistance under a State program funded under part A of this subchapter or of payments or services under a State plan approved under part E of this subchapter; and

(2) individuals who are not such recipients.

(d) Rule of interpretation
For purposes of subsection (a)(2) of this section, a service has actually been provided when the task described by the service has been accomplished.

42 USC 669a - Nonliability for financial institutions providing financial records to State child support enforcement agencies in child support cases

(a) In general
Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal or State law, a financial institution shall not be liable under any Federal or State law to any person for disclosing any financial record of an individual to a State child support enforcement agency attempting to establish, modify, or enforce a child support obligation of such individual, or for disclosing any such record to the Federal Parent Locator Service pursuant to section 666 (a)(17)(A) of this title.

(b) Prohibition of disclosure of financial record obtained by State child support enforcement agency
A State child support enforcement agency which obtains a financial record of an individual from a financial institution pursuant to subsection (a) of this section may disclose such financial record only for the purpose of, and to the extent necessary in, establishing, modifying, or enforcing a child support obligation of such individual.

(1) Disclosure by State officer or employee
If any person knowingly, or by reason of negligence, discloses a financial record of an individual in violation of subsection (b) of this section, such individual may bring a civil action for damages against such person in a district court of the United States.

(2) No liability for good faith but erroneous interpretation
No liability shall arise under this subsection with respect to any disclosure which results from a good faith, but erroneous, interpretation of subsection (b) of this section.

(3) Damages
In any action brought under paragraph (1), upon a finding of liability on the part of the defendant, the defendant shall be liable to the plaintiff in an amount equal to the sum of

(A) the greater of

(i) $1,000 for each act of unauthorized disclosure of a financial record with respect to which such defendant is found liable; or

(ii) the sum of

(I) the actual damages sustained by the plaintiff as a result of such unauthorized disclosure; plus

(II) in the case of a willful disclosure or a disclosure which is the result of gross negligence, punitive damages; plus

(B) the costs (including attorneys fees) of the action.

(d) Definitions
For purposes of this section

(1) Financial institution
The term financial institution means

(A) a depository institution, as defined in section 1813 (c) of title 12;

(B) an institution-affiliated party, as defined in section 1813 (u) of title 12;

(C) any Federal credit union or State credit union, as defined in section 1752 of title 12, including an institution-affiliated party of such a credit union, as defined in section 1786 (r) of title 12; and

(D) any benefit association, insurance company, safe deposit company, money-market mutual fund, or similar entity authorized to do business in the State.

(2) Financial record
The term financial record has the meaning given such term in section 3401 of title 12.

42 USC 669b - Grants to States for access and visitation programs

(a) In general
The Administration for Children and Families shall make grants under this section to enable States to establish and administer programs to support and facilitate noncustodial parents access to and visitation of their children, by means of activities including mediation (both voluntary and mandatory), counseling, education, development of parenting plans, visitation enforcement (including monitoring, supervision and neutral drop-off and pickup), and development of guidelines for visitation and alternative custody arrangements.

(b) Amount of grant
The amount of the grant to be made to a State under this section for a fiscal year shall be an amount equal to the lesser of

(1) 90 percent of State expenditures during the fiscal year for activities described in subsection (a) of this section; or

(2) the allotment of the State under subsection (c) of this section for the fiscal year.

(1) In general
The allotment of a State for a fiscal year is the amount that bears the same ratio to $10,000,000 for grants under this section for the fiscal year as the number of children in the State living with only 1 biological parent bears to the total number of such children in all States.

(2) Minimum allotment
The Administration for Children and Families shall adjust allotments to States under paragraph (1) as necessary to ensure that no State is allotted less than

(A) $50,000 for fiscal year 1997 or 1998; or

(B) $100,000 for any succeeding fiscal year.

(d) No supplantation of State expenditures for similar activities
A State to which a grant is made under this section may not use the grant to supplant expenditures by the State for activities specified in subsection (a) of this section, but shall use the grant to supplement such expenditures at a level at least equal to the level of such expenditures for fiscal year 1995.

(e) State administration
Each State to which a grant is made under this section

(1) may administer State programs funded with the grant, directly or through grants to or contracts with courts, local public agencies, or nonprofit">nonprofit private entities;

(2) shall not be required to operate such programs on a statewide basis; and

(3) shall monitor, evaluate, and report on such programs in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary.

Part E - Federal Payments for Foster Care and Adoption Assistance

42 USC 670 - Congressional declaration of purpose; authorization of appropriations

For the purpose of enabling each State to provide, in appropriate cases, foster care and transitional independent living programs for children who otherwise would have been eligible for assistance under the States plan approved under part A of this subchapter (as such plan was in effect on June 1, 1995) and adoption assistance for children with special needs, there are authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year (commencing with the fiscal year which begins October 1, 1980) such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this part. The sums made available under this section shall be used for making payments to States which have submitted, and had approved by the Secretary, State plans under this part.

42 USC 671 - State plan for foster care and adoption assistance

(a) Requisite features of State plan
In order for a State to be eligible for payments under this part, it shall have a plan approved by the Secretary which

(1) provides for foster care maintenance payments in accordance with section 672 of this title and for adoption assistance in accordance with section 673 of this title;

(2) provides that the State agency responsible for administering the program authorized by subpart 1 of part B of this subchapter shall administer, or supervise the administration of, the program authorized by this part;

(3) provides that the plan shall be in effect in all political subdivisions of the State, and, if administered by them, be mandatory upon them;

(4) provides that the State shall assure that the programs at the local level assisted under this part will be coordinated with the programs at the State or local level assisted under parts A and B of this subchapter, under subchapter XX of this chapter, and under any other appropriate provision of Federal law;

(5) provides that the State will, in the administration of its programs under this part, use such methods relating to the establishment and maintenance of personnel standards on a merit basis as are found by the Secretary to be necessary for the proper and efficient operation of the programs, except that the Secretary shall exercise no authority with respect to the selection, tenure of office, or compensation of any individual employed in accordance with such methods;

(6) provides that the State agency referred to in paragraph (2) (hereinafter in this part referred to as the State agency) will make such reports, in such form and containing such information as the Secretary may from time to time require, and comply with such provisions as the Secretary may from time to time find necessary to assure the correctness and verification of such reports;

(7) provides that the State agency will monitor and conduct periodic evaluations of activities carried out under this part;

(8) subject to subsection (c), provides safeguards which restrict the use of or disclosure of information concerning individuals assisted under the State plan to purposes directly connected with

(A) the administration of the plan of the State approved under this part, the plan or program of the State under part A, B, or D of this subchapter or under subchapter I, V, X, XIV, XVI (as in effect in Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands), XIX, or XX of this chapter, or the supplemental security income program established by subchapter XVI of this chapter,

(B) any investigation, prosecution, or criminal or civil proceeding, conducted in connection with the administration of any such plan or program,

(C) the administration of any other Federal or federally assisted program which provides assistance, in cash or in kind, or services, directly to individuals on the basis of need,

(D) any audit or similar activity conducted in connection with the administration of any such plan or program by any governmental agency which is authorized by law to conduct such audit or activity, and

(E) reporting and providing information pursuant to paragraph (9) to appropriate authorities with respect to known or suspected child abuse or neglect; and the safeguards so provided shall prohibit disclosure, to any committee or legislative body (other than an agency referred to in clause (D) with respect to an activity referred to in such clause), of any information which identifies by name or address any such applicant or recipient; except that nothing contained herein shall preclude a State from providing standards which restrict disclosures to purposes more limited than those specified herein, or which, in the case of adoptions, prevent disclosure entirely;

(9) provides that the State agency will

(A) report to an appropriate agency or official, known or suspected instances of physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, or negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child receiving aid under part B of this subchapter or this part under circumstances which indicate that the childs health or welfare is threatened thereby; and

(B) provide such information with respect to a situation described in subparagraph (A) as the State agency may have;

(10) provides for the establishment or designation of a State authority or authorities which shall be responsible for establishing and maintaining standards for foster family homes and child care institutions which are reasonably in accord with recommended standards of national organizations concerned with standards for such institutions or homes, including standards related to admission policies, safety, sanitation, and protection of civil rights, and provides that the standards so established shall be applied by the State to any foster family home or child care institution receiving funds under this part or part B of this subchapter;

(11) provides for periodic review of the standards referred to in the preceding paragraph and amounts paid as foster care maintenance payments and adoption assistance to assure their continuing appropriateness;

(12) provides for granting an opportunity for a fair hearing before the State agency to any individual whose claim for benefits available pursuant to this part is denied or is not acted upon with reasonable promptness;

(13) provides that the State shall arrange for a periodic and independently conducted audit of the programs assisted under this part and part B of this subchapter, which shall be conducted no less frequently than once every three years;

(14) provides

(A) specific goals (which shall be established by State law on or before October 1, 1982) for each fiscal year (commencing with the fiscal year which begins on October 1, 1983) as to the maximum number of children (in absolute numbers or as a percentage of all children in foster care with respect to whom assistance under the plan is provided during such year) who, at any time during such year, will remain in foster care after having been in such care for a period in excess of twenty-four months, and

(B) a description of the steps which will be taken by the State to achieve such goals;

(15) provides that

(A) in determining reasonable efforts to be made with respect to a child, as described in this paragraph, and in making such reasonable efforts, the childs health and safety shall be the paramount concern;

(B) except as provided in subparagraph (D), reasonable efforts shall be made to preserve and reunify families

(i) prior to the placement of a child in foster care, to prevent or eliminate the need for removing the child from the childs home; and

(ii) to make it possible for a child to safely return to the childs home;

(C) if continuation of reasonable efforts of the type described in subparagraph (B) is determined to be inconsistent with the permanency plan for the child, reasonable efforts shall be made to place the child in a timely manner in accordance with the permanency plan (including, if appropriate, through an interstate placement), and to complete whatever steps are necessary to finalize the permanent placement of the child;

(D) reasonable efforts of the type described in subparagraph (B) shall not be required to be made with respect to a parent of a child if a court of competent jurisdiction has determined that

(i) the parent has subjected the child to aggravated circumstances (as defined in State law, which definition may include but need not be limited to abandonment, torture, chronic abuse, and sexual abuse);

(ii) the parent has

(I) committed murder (which would have been an offense under section 1111 (a) of title 18, if the offense had occurred in the special maritime or territorial jurisdiction of the United States) of another child of the parent;

(II) committed voluntary manslaughter (which would have been an offense under section 1112 (a) of title 18, if the offense had occurred in the special maritime or territorial jurisdiction of the United States) of another child of the parent;

(III) aided or abetted, attempted, conspired, or solicited to commit such a murder or such a voluntary manslaughter; or

(IV) committed a felony assault that results in serious bodily injury to the child or another child of the parent; or

(iii) the parental rights of the parent to a sibling have been terminated involuntarily;

(E) if reasonable efforts of the type described in subparagraph (B) are not made with respect to a child as a result of a determination made by a court of competent jurisdiction in accordance with subparagraph (D)

(i) a permanency hearing (as described in section 675 (5)(C) of this title), which considers in-State and out-of-State permanent placement options for the child, shall be held for the child within 30 days after the determination; and

(ii) reasonable efforts shall be made to place the child in a timely manner in accordance with the permanency plan, and to complete whatever steps are necessary to finalize the permanent placement of the child; and

(F) reasonable efforts to place a child for adoption or with a legal guardian, including identifying appropriate in-State and out-of-State placements^[1] may be made concurrently with reasonable efforts of the type described in subparagraph (B);

(16) provides for the development of a case plan (as defined in section 675 (1) of this title) for each child receiving foster care maintenance payments under the State plan and provides for a case review system which meets the requirements described in section 675 (5)(B) of this title with respect to each such child;

(17) provides that, where appropriate, all steps will be taken, including cooperative efforts with the State agencies administering the program funded under part A of this subchapter and plan approved under part D of this subchapter, to secure an assignment to the State of any rights to support on behalf of each child receiving foster care maintenance payments under this part;

(18) not later than January 1, 1997, provides that neither the State nor any other entity in the State that receives funds from the Federal Government and is involved in adoption or foster care placements may

(A) deny to any person the opportunity to become an adoptive or a foster parent, on the basis of the race, color, or national origin of the person, or of the child, involved; or

(B) delay or deny the placement of a child for adoption or into foster care, on the basis of the race, color, or national origin of the adoptive or foster parent, or the child, involved;

(19) provides that the State shall consider giving preference to an adult relative over a non-related caregiver when determining a placement for a child, provided that the relative caregiver meets all relevant State child protection standards;

(20)

(A) unless an election provided for in subparagraph (B) is made with respect to the State, provides procedures for criminal records checks, including fingerprint-based checks of national crime information databases (as defined in section 534 (e)(3)(A)2 of title 28), for any prospective foster or adoptive parent before the foster or adoptive parent may be finally approved for placement of a child regardless of whether foster care maintenance payments or adoption assistance payments are to be made on behalf of the child under the State plan under this part, including procedures requiring that

(i) in any case involving a child on whose behalf such payments are to be so made in which a record check reveals a felony conviction for child abuse or neglect, for spousal abuse, for a crime against children (including child pornography), or for a crime involving violence, including rape, sexual assault, or homicide, but not including other physical assault or battery, if a State finds that a court of competent jurisdiction has determined that the felony was committed at any time, such final approval shall not be granted; and

(ii) in any case involving a child on whose behalf such payments are to be so made in which a record check reveals a felony conviction for physical assault, battery, or a drug-related offense, if a State finds that a court of competent jurisdiction has determined that the felony was committed within the past 5 years, such final approval shall not be granted; and^[3]

(B) subparagraph (A) shall not apply to a State plan if, on or before September 30, 2005, the Governor of the State has notified the Secretary in writing that the State has elected to make subparagraph (A) inapplicable to the State, or if, on or before such date, the State legislature, by law, has elected to make subparagraph (A) inapplicable to the State;^[4]

(i) check any child abuse and neglect registry maintained by the State for information on any prospective foster or adoptive parent and on any other adult living in the home of such a prospective parent, and request any other State in which any such prospective parent or other adult has resided in the preceding 5 years, to enable the State to check any child abuse and neglect registry maintained by such other State for such information, before the prospective foster or adoptive parent may be finally approved for placement of a child, regardless of whether foster care maintenance payments or adoption assistance payments are to be made on behalf of the child under the State plan under this part;

(ii) comply with any request described in clause (i) that is received from another State; and

(iii) have in place safeguards to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of information in any child abuse and neglect registry maintained by the State, and to prevent any such information obtained pursuant to this subparagraph from being used for a purpose other than the conducting of background checks in foster or adoptive placement cases;

(21) provides for health insurance coverage (including, at State option, through the program under the State plan approved under subchapter XIX of this chapter) for any child who has been determined to be a child with special needs, for whom there is in effect an adoption assistance agreement (other than an agreement under this part) between the State and an adoptive parent or parents, and who the State has determined cannot be placed with an adoptive parent or parents without medical assistance because such child has special needs for medical, mental health, or rehabilitative care, and that with respect to the provision of such health insurance coverage

(A) such coverage may be provided through 1 or more State medical assistance programs;

(B) the State, in providing such coverage, shall ensure that the medical benefits, including mental health benefits, provided are of the same type and kind as those that would be provided for children by the State under subchapter XIX of this chapter;

(C) in the event that the State provides such coverage through a State medical assistance program other than the program under subchapter XIX of this chapter, and the State exceeds its funding for services under such other program, any such child shall be deemed to be receiving aid or assistance under the State plan under this part for purposes of section 1396a (a)(10)(A)(i)(I) of this title; and

(D) in determining cost-sharing requirements, the State shall take into consideration the circumstances of the adopting parent or parents and the needs of the child being adopted consistent, to the extent coverage is provided through a State medical assistance program, with the rules under such program;

(22) provides that, not later than January 1, 1999, the State shall develop and implement standards to ensure that children in foster care placements in public or private agencies are provided quality services that protect the safety and health of the children;

(23) provides that the State shall not

(A) deny or delay the placement of a child for adoption when an approved family is available outside of the jurisdiction with responsibility for handling the case of the child; or

(B) fail to grant an opportunity for a fair hearing, as described in paragraph (12), to an individual whose allegation of a violation of subparagraph (A) of this paragraph is denied by the State or not acted upon by the State with reasonable promptness;

(24) include^[5] a certification that, before a child in foster care under the responsibility of the State is placed with prospective foster parents, the prospective foster parents will be prepared adequately with the appropriate knowledge and skills to provide for the needs of the child, and that such preparation will be continued, as necessary, after the placement of the child;

(25) provide^[6] that the State shall have in effect procedures for the orderly and timely interstate placement of children; and procedures implemented in accordance with an interstate compact, if incorporating with the procedures prescribed by paragraph (26), shall be considered to satisfy the requirement of this paragraph;

(26) provides that

(A)

(i) within 60 days after the State receives from another State a request to conduct a study of a home environment for purposes of assessing the safety and suitability of placing a child in the home, the State shall, directly or by contract

(I) conduct and complete the study; and

(II) return to the other State a report on the results of the study, which shall address the extent to which placement in the home would meet the needs of the child; and

(ii) in the case of a home study begun on or before September 30, 2008, if the State fails to comply with clause (i) within the 60-day period as a result of circumstances beyond the control of the State (such as a failure by a Federal agency to provide the results of a background check, or the failure by any entity to provide completed medical forms, requested by the State at least 45 days before the end of the 60-day period), the State shall have 75 days to comply with clause (i) if the State documents the circumstances involved and certifies that completing the home study is in the best interests of the child; except that

(iii) this subparagraph shall not be construed to require the State to have completed, within the applicable period, the parts of the home study involving the education and training of the prospective foster or adoptive parents;

(B) the State shall treat any report described in subparagraph (A) that is received from another State or an Indian tribe (or from a private agency under contract with another State) as meeting any requirements imposed by the State for the completion of a home study before placing a child in the home, unless, within 14 days after receipt of the report, the State determines, based on grounds that are specific to the content of the report, that making a decision in reliance on the report would be contrary to the welfare of the child; and

(C) the State shall not impose any restriction on the ability of a State agency administering, or supervising the administration of, a State program operated under a State plan approved under this part to contract with a private agency for the conduct of a home study described in subparagraph (A); and

(27) provides that, with respect to any child in foster care under the responsibility of the State under this part or part B and without regard to whether foster care maintenance payments are made under section 672 of this title on behalf of the child, the State has in effect procedures for verifying the citizenship or immigration status of the child.

(b) Approval of plan by Secretary
The Secretary shall approve any plan which complies with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section.

(c) Use of child welfare records in State court proceedings
Subsection (a)(8) shall not be construed to limit the flexibility of a State in determining State policies relating to public access to court proceedings to determine child abuse and neglect or other court hearings held pursuant to part B or this part, except that such policies shall, at a minimum, ensure the safety and well-being of the child, parents, and family.

[1] So in original. Probably should be followed by a comma.
[2] See References in Text note below.
[3] So in original. The word “and” probably should not appear.
[4] So in original. Probably should be followed by “and”.
[5] So in original. Probably should be “includes”.
[6] So in original. Probably should be “provides”.

42 USC 672 - Foster care maintenance payments program

(a) In general

(1) Eligibility
Each State with a plan approved under this part shall make foster care maintenance payments on behalf of each child who has been removed from the home of a relative specified in section 606 (a) of this title (as in effect on July 16, 1996) into foster care if

(A) the removal and foster care placement met, and the placement continues to meet, the requirements of paragraph (2); and

(B) the child, while in the home, would have met the AFDC eligibility requirement of paragraph (3).

(2) Removal and foster care placement requirements
The removal and foster care placement of a child meet the requirements of this paragraph if

(A) the removal and foster care placement are in accordance with

(i) a voluntary placement agreement entered into by a parent or legal guardian of the child who is the relative referred to in paragraph (1); or

(ii) a judicial determination to the effect that continuation in the home from which removed would be contrary to the welfare of the child and that reasonable efforts of the type described in section 671 (a)(15) of this title for a child have been made;

(B) the childs placement and care are the responsibility of

(i) the State agency administering the State plan approved under section 671 of this title; or

(ii) any other public agency with which the State agency administering or supervising the administration of the State plan has made an agreement which is in effect; and

(3) AFDC eligibility requirement

(A) In general
A child in the home referred to in paragraph (1) would have met the AFDC eligibility requirement of this paragraph if the child

(i) would have received aid under the State plan approved under section 602 of this title (as in effect on July 16, 1996) in the home, in or for the month in which the agreement was entered into or court proceedings leading to the determination referred to in paragraph (2)(A)(ii) of this subsection were initiated; or

(ii)

(I) would have received the aid in the home, in or for the month referred to in clause (i), if application had been made therefor; or

(II) had been living in the home within 6 months before the month in which the agreement was entered into or the proceedings were initiated, and would have received the aid in or for such month, if, in such month, the child had been living in the home with the relative referred to in paragraph (1) and application for the aid had been made.

(B) Resources determination
For purposes of subparagraph (A), in determining whether a child would have received aid under a State plan approved under section 602 of this title (as in effect on July 16, 1996), a child whose resources (determined pursuant to section 602 (a)(7)(B) of this title, as so in effect) have a combined value of not more than $10,000 shall be considered a child whose resources have a combined value of not more than $1,000 (or such lower amount as the State may determine for purposes of section 602 (a)(7)(B) of this title).

(4) Eligibility of certain alien children
Subject to title IV of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 [8 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.], if the child is an alien disqualified under section 1255a (h) or 1160 (f) of title 8 from receiving aid under the State plan approved under section 602 of this title in or for the month in which the agreement described in paragraph (2)(A)(i) was entered into or court proceedings leading to the determination described in paragraph (2)(A)(ii) were initiated, the child shall be considered to satisfy the requirements of paragraph (3), with respect to the month, if the child would have satisfied the requirements but for the disqualification.

(b) Additional qualifications
Foster care maintenance payments may be made under this part only on behalf of a child described in subsection (a) of this section who is

(1) in the foster family home of an individual, whether the payments therefor are made to such individual or to a public or private child-placement or child-care agency, or

(2) in a child-care institution, whether the payments therefor are made to such institution or to a public or private child-placement or child-care agency, which payments shall be limited so as to include in such payments only those items which are included in the term foster care maintenance payments (as defined in section 675 (4) of this title).

(1) the term foster family home means a foster family home for children which is licensed by the State in which it is situated or has been approved, by the agency of such State having responsibility for licensing homes of this type, as meeting the standards established for such licensing; and

(2) the term child-care institution means a private child-care institution, or a public child-care institution which accommodates no more than twenty-five children, which is licensed by the State in which it is situated or has been approved, by the agency of such State responsible for licensing or approval of institutions of this type, as meeting the standards established for such licensing, but the term shall not include detention facilities, forestry camps, training schools, or any other facility operated primarily for the detention of children who are determined to be delinquent.

(d) Children removed from their homes pursuant to voluntary placement agreements
Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, Federal payments may be made under this part with respect to amounts expended by any State as foster care maintenance payments under this section, in the case of children removed from their homes pursuant to voluntary placement agreements as described in subsection (a) of this section, only if (at the time such amounts were expended) the State has fulfilled all of the requirements of section 622 (b)(8) of this title.

(e) Placements in best interest of child
No Federal payment may be made under this part with respect to amounts expended by any State as foster care maintenance payments under this section, in the case of any child who was removed from his or her home pursuant to a voluntary placement agreement as described in subsection (a) of this section and has remained in voluntary placement for a period in excess of 180 days, unless there has been a judicial determination by a court of competent jurisdiction (within the first 180 days of such placement) to the effect that such placement is in the best interests of the child.

(f) “Voluntary placement” and “voluntary placement agreement” defined
For the purposes of this part and part B of this subchapter,

(1) the term voluntary placement means an out-of-home placement of a minor, by or with participation of a State agency, after the parents or guardians of the minor have requested the assistance of the agency and signed a voluntary placement agreement; and

(2) the term voluntary placement agreement means a written agreement, binding on the parties to the agreement, between the State agency, any other agency acting on its behalf, and the parents or guardians of a minor child which specifies, at a minimum, the legal status of the child and the rights and obligations of the parents or guardians, the child, and the agency while the child is in placement.

(g) Revocation of voluntary placement agreement
In any case where

(1) the placement of a minor child in foster care occurred pursuant to a voluntary placement agreement entered into by the parents or guardians of such child as provided in subsection (a) of this section, and

(2) such parents or guardians request (in such manner and form as the Secretary may prescribe) that the child be returned to their home or to the home of a relative,

the voluntary placement agreement shall be deemed to be revoked unless the State agency opposes such request and obtains a judicial determination, by a court of competent jurisdiction, that the return of the child to such home would be contrary to the childs best interests.

(h) Aid for dependent children; assistance for minor children in needy families

(1) For purposes of subchapter XIX of this chapter, any child with respect to whom foster care maintenance payments are made under this section is deemed to be a dependent child as defined in section 606 of this title (as in effect as of July 16, 1996) and deemed to be a recipient of aid to families with dependent children under part A of this subchapter (as so in effect). For purposes of subchapter XX of this chapter, any child with respect to whom foster care maintenance payments are made under this section is deemed to be a minor child in a needy family under a State program funded under part A of this subchapter and is deemed to be a recipient of assistance under such part.

(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), a child whose costs in a foster family home or child care institution are covered by the foster care maintenance payments being made with respect to the childs minor parent, as provided in section 675 (4)(B) of this title, shall be considered a child with respect to whom foster care maintenance payments are made under this section.

(i) Administrative costs associated with otherwise eligible children not in licensed foster care settings
Expenditures by a State that would be considered administrative expenditures for purposes of section 674 (a)(3) of this title if made with respect to a child who was residing in a foster family home or child-care institution shall be so considered with respect to a child not residing in such a home or institution

(1) in the case of a child who has been removed in accordance with subsection (a) of this section from the home of a relative specified in section 606 (a) of this title (as in effect on July 16, 1996), only for expenditures

(A) with respect to a period of not more than the lesser of 12 months or the average length of time it takes for the State to license or approve a home as a foster home, in which the child is in the home of a relative and an application is pending for licensing or approval of the home as a foster family home; or

(B) with respect to a period of not more than 1 calendar month when a child moves from a facility not eligible for payments under this part into a foster family home or child care institution licensed or approved by the State; and

(2) in the case of any other child who is potentially eligible for benefits under a State plan approved under this part and at imminent risk of removal from the home, only if

(A) reasonable efforts are being made in accordance with section 671 (a)(15) of this title to prevent the need for, or if necessary to pursue, removal of the child from the home; and

(B) the State agency has made, not less often than every 6 months, a determination (or redetermination) as to whether the child remains at imminent risk of removal from the home.

42 USC 673 - Adoption assistance program

(a) Agreements with adoptive parents of children with special needs; State payments; qualifying children; amount of payments; changes in circumstances; placement period prior to adoption; nonrecurring adoption expenses

(1)

(A) Each State having a plan approved under this part shall enter into adoption assistance agreements (as defined in section 675 (3) of this title) with the adoptive parents of children with special needs.

(B) Under any adoption assistance agreement entered into by a State with parents who adopt a child with special needs, the State

(i) shall make payments of nonrecurring adoption expenses incurred by or on behalf of such parents in connection with the adoption of such child, directly through the State agency or through another public or nonprofit">nonprofit private agency, in amounts determined under paragraph (3), and

(ii) in any case where the child meets the requirements of paragraph (2), may make adoption assistance payments to such parents, directly through the State agency or through another public or nonprofit">nonprofit private agency, in amounts so determined.

(2)

(A) For purposes of paragraph (1)(B)(ii), a child meets the requirements of this paragraph if the child

(i)

(I)

(aa) was removed from the home of a relative specified in section 606 (a) of this title (as in effect on July 16, 1996) and placed in foster care in accordance with a voluntary placement agreement with respect to which Federal payments are provided under section 674 of this title (or section 603 of this title, as such section was in effect on July 16, 1996), or in accordance with a judicial determination to the effect that continuation in the home would be contrary to the welfare of the child; and

(bb) met the requirements of section 672 (a)(3) of this title with respect to the home referred to in item (aa) of this subclause;

(II) meets all of the requirements of subchapter XVI with respect to eligibility for supplemental security income benefits; or

(III) is a child whose costs in a foster family home or child-care institution are covered by the foster care maintenance payments being made with respect to the minor parent of the child as provided in section 675 (4)(B) of this title; and

(ii) has been determined by the State, pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, to be a child with special needs.

(B) Section 672 (a)(4) of this title shall apply for purposes of subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, in any case in which the child is an alien described in such section.

(C) A child shall be treated as meeting the requirements of this paragraph for the purpose of paragraph (1)(B)(ii) if the child

(i) meets the requirements of subparagraph (A)(ii);

(ii) was determined eligible for adoption assistance payments under this part with respect to a prior adoption;

(iii) is available for adoption because

(I) the prior adoption has been dissolved, and the parental rights of the adoptive parents have been terminated; or

(II) the childs adoptive parents have died; and

(iv) fails to meet the requirements of subparagraph (A) but would meet such requirements if

(I) the child were treated as if the child were in the same financial and other circumstances the child was in the last time the child was determined eligible for adoption assistance payments under this part; and

(II) the prior adoption were treated as never having occurred.

(3) The amount of the payments to be made in any case under clauses (i) and (ii) of paragraph (1)(B) shall be determined through agreement between the adoptive parents and the State or local agency administering the program under this section, which shall take into consideration the circumstances of the adopting parents and the needs of the child being adopted, and may be readjusted periodically, with the concurrence of the adopting parents (which may be specified in the adoption assistance agreement), depending upon changes in such circumstances. However, in no case may the amount of the adoption assistance payment made under clause (ii) of paragraph (1)(B) exceed the foster care maintenance payment which would have been paid during the period if the child with respect to whom the adoption assistance payment is made had been in a foster family home.

(4) Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph,

(A) no payment may be made to parents with respect to any child who has attained the age of eighteen (or, where the State determines that the child has a mental or physical handicap which warrants the continuation of assistance, the age of twenty-one), and

(B) no payment may be made to parents with respect to any child if the State determines that the parents are no longer legally responsible for the support of the child or if the State determines that the child is no longer receiving any support from such parents. Parents who have been receiving adoption assistance payments under this section shall keep the State or local agency administering the program under this section informed of circumstances which would, pursuant to this subsection, make them ineligible for such assistance payments, or eligible for assistance payments in a different amount.

(5) For purposes of this part, individuals with whom a child (who has been determined by the State, pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, to be a child with special needs) is placed for adoption in accordance with applicable State and local law shall be eligible for such payments, during the period of the placement, on the same terms and subject to the same conditions as if such individuals had adopted such child.

(6)

(A) For purposes of paragraph (1)(B)(i), the term nonrecurring adoption expenses means reasonable and necessary adoption fees, court costs, attorney fees, and other expenses which are directly related to the legal adoption of a child with special needs and which are not incurred in violation of State or Federal law.

(B) A States payment of nonrecurring adoption expenses under an adoption assistance agreement shall be treated as an expenditure made for the proper and efficient administration of the State plan for purposes of section 674 (a)(3)(E) of this title.

(b) Aid for dependent children; assistance for minor children in needy families

(1) For purposes of subchapter XIX of this chapter, any child who is described in paragraph (3) is deemed to be a dependent child as defined in section 606 of this title (as in effect as of July 16, 1996) and deemed to be a recipient of aid to families with dependent children under part A of this subchapter (as so in effect) in the State where such child resides.

(2) For purposes of subchapter XX of this chapter, any child who is described in paragraph (3) is deemed to be a minor child in a needy family under a State program funded under part A of this subchapter and deemed to be a recipient of assistance under such part.

(3) A child described in this paragraph is any child

(A)

(i) who is a child described in subsection (a)(2) of this section, and

(ii) with respect to whom an adoption assistance agreement is in effect under this section (whether or not adoption assistance payments are provided under the agreement or are being made under this section), including any such child who has been placed for adoption in accordance with applicable State and local law (whether or not an interlocutory or other judicial decree of adoption has been issued), or

(B) with respect to whom foster care maintenance payments are being made under section 672 of this title.

(4) For purposes of paragraphs (1) and (2), a child whose costs in a foster family home or child-care institution are covered by the foster care maintenance payments being made with respect to the childs minor parent, as provided in section 675 (4)(B) of this title, shall be considered a child with respect to whom foster care maintenance payments are being made under section 672 of this title.

(c) Children with special needs
For purposes of this section, a child shall not be considered a child with special needs unless

(1) the State has determined that the child cannot or should not be returned to the home of his parents; and

(2) the State had first determined

(A) that there exists with respect to the child a specific factor or condition (such as his ethnic background, age, or membership in a minority or sibling group, or the presence of factors such as medical conditions or physical, mental, or emotional handicaps) because of which it is reasonable to conclude that such child cannot be placed with adoptive parents without providing adoption assistance under this section or medical assistance under subchapter XIX of this chapter, and

(B) that, except where it would be against the best interests of the child because of such factors as the existence of significant emotional ties with prospective adoptive parents while in the care of such parents as a foster child, a reasonable, but unsuccessful, effort has been made to place the child with appropriate adoptive parents without providing adoption assistance under this section or medical assistance under subchapter XIX of this chapter.

42 USC 673a - Interstate compacts

The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall take all possible steps to encourage and assist the various States to enter into interstate compacts (which are hereby approved by the Congress) under which the interests of any adopted child with respect to whom an adoption assistance agreement has been entered into by a State under section 673 of this title will be adequately protected, on a reasonable and equitable basis which is approved by the Secretary, if and when the child and his or her adoptive parent (or parents) move to another State.

42 USC 673b - Adoption incentive payments

(a) Grant authority
Subject to the availability of such amounts as may be provided in advance in appropriations Acts for this purpose, the Secretary shall make a grant to each State that is an incentive-eligible State for a fiscal year in an amount equal to the adoption incentive payment payable to the State under this section for the fiscal year, which shall be payable in the immediately succeeding fiscal year.

(b) Incentive-eligible State
A State is an incentive-eligible State for a fiscal year if

(1) the State has a plan approved under this part for the fiscal year;

(2)

(A) the number of foster child adoptions in the State during the fiscal year exceeds the base number of foster child adoptions for the State for the fiscal year; or

(B) the number of older child adoptions in the State during the fiscal year exceeds the base number of older child adoptions for the State for the fiscal year;

(3) the State is in compliance with subsection (c) of this section for the fiscal year;

(4) in the case of fiscal years 2001 through 2007, the State provides health insurance coverage to any child with special needs (as determined under section 673 (c) of this title) for whom there is in effect an adoption assistance agreement between a State and an adoptive parent or parents; and

(5) the fiscal year is any of fiscal years 1998 through 2007.

(1) In general
A State is in compliance with this subsection for a fiscal year if the State has provided to the Secretary the data described in paragraph (2)

(A) for fiscal years 1995 through 1997 (or, if the first fiscal year for which the State seeks a grant under this section is after fiscal year 1998, the fiscal year that precedes such first fiscal year); and

(B) for each succeeding fiscal year that precedes the fiscal year.

(2) Determination of numbers of adoptions based on AFCARS data
The Secretary shall determine the numbers of foster child adoptions, of special needs adoptions that are not older child adoptions, and of older child adoptions in a State during each of fiscal years 2002 through 2007, for purposes of this section, on the basis of data meeting the requirements of the system established pursuant to section 679 of this title, as reported by the State and approved by the Secretary by August 1 of the succeeding fiscal year.

(3) No waiver of AFCARS requirements
This section shall not be construed to alter or affect any requirement of section 679 of this title or of any regulation prescribed under such section with respect to reporting of data by States, or to waive any penalty for failure to comply with such a requirement.

(d) Adoption incentive payment

(1) In general
Except as provided in paragraph (2), the adoption incentive payment payable to a State for a fiscal year under this section shall be equal to the sum of

(A) $4,000, multiplied by the amount (if any) by which the number of foster child adoptions in the State during the fiscal year exceeds the base number of foster child adoptions for the State for the fiscal year;

(B) $2,000, multiplied by the amount (if any) by which the number of special needs adoptions that are not older child adoptions in the State during the fiscal year exceeds the base number of special needs adoptions that are not older child adoptions for the State for the fiscal year; and

(C) $4,000, multiplied by the amount (if any) by which the number of older child adoptions in the State during the fiscal year exceeds the base number of older child adoptions for the State for the fiscal year.

(2) Pro rata adjustment if insufficient funds available
For any fiscal year, if the total amount of adoption incentive payments otherwise payable under this section for a fiscal year exceeds the amount appropriated pursuant to subsection (h) of this section for the fiscal year, the amount of the adoption incentive payment payable to each State under this section for the fiscal year shall be

(A) the amount of the adoption incentive payment that would otherwise be payable to the State under this section for the fiscal year; multiplied by

(B) the percentage represented by the amount so appropriated for the fiscal year, divided by the total amount of adoption incentive payments otherwise payable under this section for the fiscal year.

(e) 2-year availability of incentive payments
Payments to a State under this section in a fiscal year shall remain available for use by the State through the end of the succeeding fiscal year.

(f) Limitations on use of incentive payments
A State shall not expend an amount paid to the State under this section except to provide to children or families any service (including post-adoption services) that may be provided under part B of this subchapter or this part. Amounts expended by a State in accordance with the preceding sentence shall be disregarded in determining State expenditures for purposes of Federal matching payments under sections 624, 629d, and 674 of this title.

(g) Definitions
As used in this section:

(1) Foster child adoption
The term foster child adoption means the final adoption of a child who, at the time of adoptive placement, was in foster care under the supervision of the State.

(2) Special needs adoption
The term special needs adoption means the final adoption of a child for whom an adoption assistance agreement is in effect under section 673 of this title.

(3) Base number of foster child adoptions
The term base number of foster child adoptions for a State means

(A) with respect to fiscal year 2003, the number of foster child adoptions in the State in fiscal year 2002; and

(B) with respect to any subsequent fiscal year, the number of foster child adoptions in the State in the fiscal year for which the number is the greatest in the period that begins with fiscal year 2002 and ends with the fiscal year preceding that subsequent fiscal year.

(4) Base number of special needs adoptions that are not older child adoptions
The term base number of special needs adoptions for a State means

(A) with respect to fiscal year 2003, the number of special needs adoptions that are not older child adoptions in the State in fiscal year 2002; and

(B) with respect to any subsequent fiscal year, the number of special needs adoptions that are not older child adoptions in the State in the fiscal year for which the number is the greatest in the period that begins with fiscal year 2002 and ends with the fiscal year preceding that subsequent fiscal year.

(5) Base number of older child adoptions
The term base number of older child adoptions for a State means

(A) with respect to fiscal year 2003, the number of older child adoptions in the State in fiscal year 2002; and

(B) with respect to any subsequent fiscal year, the number of older child adoptions in the State in the fiscal year for which the number is the greatest in the period that begins with fiscal year 2002 and ends with the fiscal year preceding that subsequent fiscal year.

(6) Older child adoptions
The term older child adoptions means the final adoption of a child who has attained 9 years of age if

(A) at the time of the adoptive placement, the child was in foster care under the supervision of the State; or

(B) an adoption assistance agreement was in effect under section 673 of this title with respect to the child.

(h) Limitations on authorization of appropriations

(1) In general
For grants under subsection (a) of this section, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary

(A) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1999;

(B) $43,000,000 for fiscal year 2000;

(D) $43,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2008.

(2) Availability
Amounts appropriated under paragraph (1), or under any other law for grants under subsection (a) of this section, are authorized to remain available until expended, but not after fiscal year 2008.

(i) Technical assistance

(1) In general
The Secretary may, directly or through grants or contracts, provide technical assistance to assist States and local communities to reach their targets for increased numbers of adoptions and, to the extent that adoption is not possible, alternative permanent placements, for children in foster care.

(2) Description of the character of the technical assistance
The technical assistance provided under paragraph (1) may support the goal of encouraging more adoptions out of the foster care system, when adoptions promote the best interests of children, and may include the following:

(A) The development of best practice guidelines for expediting termination of parental rights.

(B) Models to encourage the use of concurrent planning.

(D) The development of risk assessment tools to facilitate early identification of the children who will be at risk of harm if returned home.

(E) Models to encourage the fast tracking of children who have not attained 1 year of age into pre-adoptive placements.

(F) Development of programs that place children into pre-adoptive families without waiting for termination of parental rights.

(3) Targeting of technical assistance to the courts
Not less than 50 percent of any amount appropriated pursuant to paragraph (4) shall be used to provide technical assistance to the courts.

(4) Limitations on authorization of appropriations
To carry out this subsection, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Health and Human Services not to exceed $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2006.

42 USC 673c - Timely interstate home study incentive payments

(a) Grant authority
The Secretary shall make a grant to each State that is a home study incentive-eligible State for a fiscal year in an amount equal to the timely interstate home study incentive payment payable to the State under this section for the fiscal year, which shall be payable in the immediately succeeding fiscal year.

(b) Home study incentive-eligible State
A State is a home study incentive-eligible State for a fiscal year if

(1) the State has a plan approved under this part for the fiscal year;

(2) the State is in compliance with subsection (c) for the fiscal year; and

(3) based on data submitted and verified pursuant to subsection (c), the State has completed a timely interstate home study during the fiscal year.

(1) In general
A State is in compliance with this subsection for a fiscal year if the State has provided to the Secretary a written report, covering the preceding fiscal year, that specifies

(A) the total number of interstate home studies requested by the State with respect to children in foster care under the responsibility of the State, and with respect to each such study, the identity of the other State involved;

(B) the total number of timely interstate home studies completed by the State with respect to children in foster care under the responsibility of other States, and with respect to each such study, the identity of the other State involved; and

(C) such other information as the Secretary may require in order to determine whether the State is a home study incentive-eligible State.

(2) Verification of data
In determining the number of timely interstate home studies to be attributed to a State under this section, the Secretary shall check the data provided by the State under paragraph (1) against complementary data so provided by other States.

(d) Timely interstate home study incentive payments

(1) In general
The timely interstate home study incentive payment payable to a State for a fiscal year shall be $1,500, multiplied by the number of timely interstate home studies attributed to the State under this section during the fiscal year, subject to paragraph (2).

(2) Pro rata adjustment if insufficient funds available
If the total amount of timely interstate home study incentive payments otherwise payable under this section for a fiscal year exceeds the total of the amounts made available pursuant to subsection (h) for the fiscal year (reduced (but not below zero) by the total of the amounts (if any) payable under paragraph (3) of this subsection with respect to the preceding fiscal year), the amount of each such otherwise payable incentive payment shall be reduced by a percentage equal to

(A) the total of the amounts so made available (as so reduced); divided by

(B) the total of such otherwise payable incentive payments.

(3) Appropriations available for unpaid incentive payments for prior fiscal years

(A) In general
If payments under this section are reduced under paragraph (2) or subparagraph (B) of this paragraph for a fiscal year, then, before making any other payment under this section for the next fiscal year, the Secretary shall pay each State whose payment was so reduced an amount equal to the total amount of the reductions which applied to the State, subject to subparagraph (B) of this paragraph.

(B) Pro rata adjustment if insufficient funds available
If the total amount of payments otherwise payable under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph for a fiscal year exceeds the total of the amounts made available pursuant to subsection (h) for the fiscal year, the amount of each such payment shall be reduced by a percentage equal to

(i) the total of the amounts so made available; divided by

(ii) the total of such otherwise payable payments.

(e) Two-year availability of incentive payments
Payments to a State under this section in a fiscal year shall remain available for use by the State through the end of the next fiscal year.

(f) Limitations on use of incentive payments
A State shall not expend an amount paid to the State under this section except to provide to children or families any service (including post-adoption services) that may be provided under part B or this part. Amounts expended by a State in accordance with the preceding sentence shall be disregarded in determining State expenditures for purposes of Federal matching payments under sections 623, 629d, and 674 of this title.

(g) Definitions
In this section:

(1) Home study
The term home study means an evaluation of a home environment conducted in accordance with applicable requirements of the State in which the home is located, to determine whether a proposed placement of a child would meet the individual needs of the child, including the childs safety, permanency, health, well-being, and mental, emotional, and physical development.

(2) Interstate home study
The term interstate home study means a home study conducted by a State at the request of another State, to facilitate an adoptive or foster placement in the State of a child in foster care under the responsibility of the State.

(3) Timely interstate home study
The term timely interstate home study means an interstate home study completed by a State if the State provides to the State that requested the study, within 30 days after receipt of the request, a report on the results of the study. The preceding sentence shall not be construed to require the State to have completed, within the 30-day period, the parts of the home study involving the education and training of the prospective foster or adoptive parents.

(h) Limitations on authorization of appropriations

(1) In general
For payments under this section, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary

(A) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;

(B) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;

(D) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.

(2) Availability
Amounts appropriated under paragraph (1) are authorized to remain available until expended.

42 USC 674 - Payments to States

(a) Amounts
For each quarter beginning after September 30, 1980, each State which has a plan approved under this part shall be entitled to a payment equal to the sum of

(1) an amount equal to the Federal medical assistance percentage (as defined in section 1396d (b) of this title) of the total amount expended during such quarter as foster care maintenance payments under section 672 of this title for children in foster family homes or child-care institutions; plus

(2) an amount equal to the Federal medical assistance percentage (as defined in section 1396d (b) of this title) of the total amount expended during such quarter as adoption assistance payments under section 673 of this title pursuant to adoption assistance agreements; plus

(3) subject to section 672 (i) of this title an amount equal to the sum of the following proportions of the total amounts expended during such quarter as found necessary by the Secretary for the provision of child placement services and for the proper and efficient administration of the State plan

(A) 75 per centum of so much of such expenditures as are for the training (including both short- and long-term training at educational institutions through grants to such institutions or by direct financial assistance to students enrolled in such institutions) of personnel employed or preparing for employment by the State agency or by the local agency administering the plan in the political subdivision,

(B) 75 percent of so much of such expenditures (including travel and per diem expenses) as are for the short-term training of current or prospective foster or adoptive parents and the members of the staff of State-licensed or State-approved child care institutions providing care to foster and adopted children receiving assistance under this part, in ways that increase the ability of such current or prospective parents, staff members, and institutions to provide support and assistance to foster and adopted children, whether incurred directly by the State or by contract,

(C) 50 percent of so much of such expenditures as are for the planning, design, development, or installation of statewide mechanized data collection and information retrieval systems (including 50 percent of the full amount of expenditures for hardware components for such systems) but only to the extent that such systems

(i) meet the requirements imposed by regulations promulgated pursuant to section 679 (b)(2) of this title;

(ii) to the extent practicable, are capable of interfacing with the State data collection system that collects information relating to child abuse and neglect;

(iii) to the extent practicable, have the capability of interfacing with, and retrieving information from, the State data collection system that collects information relating to the eligibility of individuals under part A of this subchapter (for the purposes of facilitating verification of eligibility of foster children); and

(iv) are determined by the Secretary to be likely to provide more efficient, economical, and effective administration of the programs carried out under a State plan approved under part B of this subchapter or this part; and

(D) 50 percent of so much of such expenditures as are for the operation of the statewide mechanized data collection and information retrieval systems referred to in subparagraph (C); and

(E) one-half of the remainder of such expenditures; plus

(4) an amount equal to the amount (if any) by which

(A) the lesser of

(i) 80 percent of the amounts expended by the State during the fiscal year in which the quarter occurs to carry out programs in accordance with the State application approved under section 677 (b) of this title for the period in which the quarter occurs (including any amendment that meets the requirements of section 677 (b)(5) of this title); or

(ii) the amount allotted to the State under section 677 (c)(1) of this title for the fiscal year in which the quarter occurs, reduced by the total of the amounts payable to the State under this paragraph for all prior quarters in the fiscal year; exceeds

(B) the total amount of any penalties assessed against the State under section 677 (e) of this title during the fiscal year in which the quarter occurs.

(b) Quarterly estimates of State’s entitlement for next quarter; payments; United States’ pro rata share of amounts recovered as overpayment; allowance, disallowance, or deferral of claim

(1) The Secretary shall, prior to the beginning of each quarter, estimate the amount to which a State will be entitled under subsection (a) of this section for such quarter, such estimates to be based on

(A) a report filed by the State containing its estimate of the total sum to be expended in such quarter in accordance with subsection (a) of this section, and stating the amount appropriated or made available by the State and its political subdivisions for such expenditures in such quarter, and if such amount is less than the States proportionate share of the total sum of such estimated expenditures, the source or sources from which the difference is expected to be derived,

(B) records showing the number of children in the State receiving assistance under this part, and

(2) The Secretary shall then pay to the State, in such installments as he may determine, the amounts so estimated, reduced or increased to the extent of any overpayment or underpayment which the Secretary determines was made under this section to such State for any prior quarter and with respect to which adjustment has not already been made under this subsection.

(3) The pro rata share to which the United States is equitably entitled, as determined by the Secretary, of the net amount recovered during any quarter by the State or any political subdivision thereof with respect to foster care and adoption assistance furnished under the State plan shall be considered an overpayment to be adjusted under this subsection.

(4)

(A) Within 60 days after receipt of a State claim for expenditures pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary shall allow, disallow, or defer such claim.

(B) Within 15 days after a decision to defer such a State claim, the Secretary shall notify the State of the reasons for the deferral and of the additional information necessary to determine the allowability of the claim.

(i) disallow the claim, if able to complete the review and determine that the claim is not allowable, or

(ii) in any other case, allow the claim, subject to disallowance (as necessary)

(I) upon completion of the review, if it is determined that the claim is not allowable; or

(II) on the basis of findings of an audit or financial management review.

(c) Automated data collection expenditures
The Secretary shall treat as necessary for the proper and efficient administration of the State plan all expenditures of a State necessary in order for the State to plan, design, develop, install, and operate data collection and information retrieval systems described in subsection (a)(3)(C) of this section, without regard to whether the systems may be used with respect to foster or adoptive children other than those on behalf of whom foster care maintenance payments or adoption assistance payments may be made under this part.

(d) Reduction for violation of plan requirement

(1) If, during any quarter of a fiscal year, a States program operated under this part is found, as a result of a review conducted under section 1320a–2a of this title, or otherwise, to have violated paragraph (18) or (23) of section 671 (a) of this title with respect to a person or to have failed to implement a corrective action plan within a period of time not to exceed 6 months with respect to such violation, then, notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section and any regulations promulgated under section 1320a–2a (b)(3) of this title, the Secretary shall reduce the amount otherwise payable to the State under this part, for that fiscal year quarter and for any subsequent quarter of such fiscal year, until the State program is found, as a result of a subsequent review under section 1320a–2a of this title, to have implemented a corrective action plan with respect to such violation, by

(A) 2 percent of such otherwise payable amount, in the case of the 1st such finding for the fiscal year with respect to the State;

(B) 3 percent of such otherwise payable amount, in the case of the 2nd such finding for the fiscal year with respect to the State; or

(C) 5 percent of such otherwise payable amount, in the case of the 3rd or subsequent such finding for the fiscal year with respect to the State.

In imposing the penalties described in this paragraph, the Secretary shall not reduce any fiscal year payment to a State by more than 5 percent.

(2) Any other entity which is in a State that receives funds under this part and which violates paragraph (18) or (23) of section 671 (a) of this title during a fiscal year quarter with respect to any person shall remit to the Secretary all funds that were paid by the State to the entity during the quarter from such funds.

(3)

(A) Any individual who is aggrieved by a violation of section 671 (a)(18) of this title by a State or other entity may bring an action seeking relief from the State or other entity in any United States district court.

(B) An action under this paragraph may not be brought more than 2 years after the date the alleged violation occurred.

(4) This subsection shall not be construed to affect the application of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 [25 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.].

(e) Discretionary grants for educational and training vouchers for youths aging out of foster care
From amounts appropriated pursuant to section 677 (h)(2) of this title, the Secretary may make a grant to a State with a plan approved under this part, for a calendar quarter, in an amount equal to the lesser of

(1) 80 percent of the amounts expended by the State during the quarter to carry out programs for the purposes described in section 677 (a)(6) of this title; or

(2) the amount, if any, allotted to the State under section 677 (c)(3) of this title for the fiscal year in which the quarter occurs, reduced by the total of the amounts payable to the State under this subsection for such purposes for all prior quarters in the fiscal year.

(f) Reduction for failure to submit required data

(1) If the Secretary finds that a State has failed to submit to the Secretary data, as required by regulation, for the data collection system implemented under section 679 of this title, the Secretary shall, within 30 days after the date by which the data was due to be so submitted, notify the State of the failure and that payments to the State under this part will be reduced if the State fails to submit the data, as so required, within 6 months after the date the data was originally due to be so submitted.

(2) If the Secretary finds that the State has failed to submit the data, as so required, by the end of the 6-month period referred to in paragraph (1) of this subsection, then, notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section and any regulations promulgated under section 1320a–2a (b)(3) of this title, the Secretary shall reduce the amounts otherwise payable to the State under this part, for each quarter ending in the 6-month period (and each quarter ending in each subsequent consecutively occurring 6-month period until the Secretary finds that the State has submitted the data, as so required), by

(A) 1/6 of 1 percent of the total amount expended by the State for administration of foster care activities under the State plan approved under this part in the quarter so ending, in the case of the 1st 6-month period during which the failure continues; or

(B) 1/4 of 1 percent of the total amount so expended, in the case of the 2nd or any subsequent such 6-month period.

42 USC 675 - Definitions

As used in this part or part B of this subchapter:

(1) The term case plan means a written document which includes at least the following:

(A) A description of the type of home or institution in which a child is to be placed, including a discussion of the safety and appropriateness of the placement and how the agency which is responsible for the child plans to carry out the voluntary placement agreement entered into or judicial determination made with respect to the child in accordance with section 672 (a)(1)1 of this title.

(B) A plan for assuring that the child receives safe and proper care and that services are provided to the parents, child, and foster parents in order to improve the conditions in the parents home, facilitate return of the child to his own safe home or the permanent placement of the child, and address the needs of the child while in foster care, including a discussion of the appropriateness of the services that have been provided to the child under the plan.

(i) the names and addresses of the childs health and educational providers;

(ii) the childs grade level performance;

(iii) the childs school record;

(iv) assurances that the childs placement in foster care takes into account proximity to the school in which the child is enrolled at the time of placement;

(v) a record of the childs immunizations;

(vi) the childs known medical problems;

(vii) the childs medications; and

(viii) any other relevant health and education information concerning the child determined to be appropriate by the State agency.

(D) Where appropriate, for a child age 16 or over, a written description of the programs and services which will help such child prepare for the transition from foster care to independent living.

(E) In the case of a child with respect to whom the permanency plan is adoption or placement in another permanent home, documentation of the steps the agency is taking to find an adoptive family or other permanent living arrangement for the child, to place the child with an adoptive family, a fit and willing relative, a legal guardian, or in another planned permanent living arrangement, and to finalize the adoption or legal guardianship. At a minimum, such documentation shall include child specific recruitment efforts such as the use of State, regional, and national adoption exchanges including electronic exchange systems to facilitate orderly and timely in-State and interstate placements.

(2) The term parents means biological or adoptive parents or legal guardians, as determined by applicable State law.

(3) The term adoption assistance agreement means a written agreement, binding on the parties to the agreement, between the State agency, other relevant agencies, and the prospective adoptive parents of a minor child which at a minimum

(A) specifies the nature and amount of any payments, services, and assistance to be provided under such agreement, and

(B) stipulates that the agreement shall remain in effect regardless of the State of which the adoptive parents are residents at any given time. The agreement shall contain provisions for the protection (under an interstate compact approved by the Secretary or otherwise) of the interests of the child in cases where the adoptive parents and child move to another State while the agreement is effective.

(4)

(A) The term foster care maintenance payments means payments to cover the cost of (and the cost of providing) food, clothing, shelter, daily supervision, school supplies, a childs personal incidentals, liability insurance with respect to a child, and reasonable travel to the childs home for visitation. In the case of institutional care, such term shall include the reasonable costs of administration and operation of such institution as are necessarily required to provide the items described in the preceding sentence.

(B) In cases where

(i) a child placed in a foster family home or child-care institution is the parent of a son or daughter who is in the same home or institution, and

(ii) payments described in subparagraph (A) are being made under this part with respect to such child,

the foster care maintenance payments made with respect to such child as otherwise determined under subparagraph (A) shall also include such amounts as may be necessary to cover the cost of the items described in that subparagraph with respect to such son or daughter.

(5) The term case review system means a procedure for assuring that

(A) each child has a case plan designed to achieve placement in a safe setting that is the least restrictive (most family like) and most appropriate setting available and in close proximity to the parents home, consistent with the best interest and special needs of the child, which

(i) if the child has been placed in a foster family home or child-care institution a substantial distance from the home of the parents of the child, or in a State different from the State in which such home is located, sets forth the reasons why such placement is in the best interests of the child, and

(ii) if the child has been placed in foster care outside the State in which the home of the parents of the child is located, requires that, periodically, but not less frequently than every 6 months, a caseworker on the staff of the State agency of the State in which the home of the parents of the child is located, of the State in which the child has been placed, or of a private agency under contract with either such State, visit such child in such home or institution and submit a report on such visit to the State agency of the State in which the home of the parents of the child is located,

(B) the status of each child is reviewed periodically but no less frequently than once every six months by either a court or by administrative review (as defined in paragraph (6)) in order to determine the safety of the child, the continuing necessity for and appropriateness of the placement, the extent of compliance with the case plan, and the extent of progress which has been made toward alleviating or mitigating the causes necessitating placement in foster care, and to project a likely date by which the child may be returned to and safely maintained in the home or placed for adoption or legal guardianship,

(i) procedural safeguards will be applied, among other things, to assure each child in foster care under the supervision of the State of a permanency hearing to be held, in a family or juvenile court or another court (including a tribal court) of competent jurisdiction, or by an administrative body appointed or approved by the court, no later than 12 months after the date the child is considered to have entered foster care (as determined under subparagraph (F)) (and not less frequently than every 12 months thereafter during the continuation of foster care), which hearing shall determine the permanency plan for the child that includes whether, and if applicable when, the child will be returned to the parent, placed for adoption and the State will file a petition for termination of parental rights, or referred for legal guardianship, or (in cases where the State agency has documented to the State court a compelling reason for determining that it would not be in the best interests of the child to return home, be referred for termination of parental rights, or be placed for adoption, with a fit and willing relative, or with a legal guardian) placed in another planned permanent living arrangement, in the case of a child who will not be returned to the parent, the hearing shall consider in-State and out-of-State placement options, and, in the case of a child described in subparagraph (A)(ii), the hearing shall determine whether the out-of-State placement continues to be appropriate and in the best interests of the child, and, in the case of a child who has attained age 16, the services needed to assist the child to make the transition from foster care to independent living;

(ii) procedural safeguards shall be applied with respect to parental rights pertaining to the removal of the child from the home of his parents, to a change in the childs placement, and to any determination affecting visitation privileges of parents; and

(iii) procedural safeguards shall be applied to assure that in any permanency hearing held with respect to the child, including any hearing regarding the transition of the child from foster care to independent living, the court or administrative body conducting the hearing consults, in an age-appropriate manner, with the child regarding the proposed permanency or transition plan for the child;^[2]

(D) a childs health and education record (as described in paragraph (1)(A)) is reviewed and updated, and a copy of the record is supplied to the foster parent or foster care provider with whom the child is placed, at the time of each placement of the child in foster care, and is supplied to the child at no cost at the time the child leaves foster care if the child is leaving foster care by reason of having attained the age of majority under State law;^[2]

(E) in the case of a child who has been in foster care under the responsibility of the State for 15 of the most recent 22 months, or, if a court of competent jurisdiction has determined a child to be an abandoned infant (as defined under State law) or has made a determination that the parent has committed murder of another child of the parent, committed voluntary manslaughter of another child of the parent, aided or abetted, attempted, conspired, or solicited to commit such a murder or such a voluntary manslaughter, or committed a felony assault that has resulted in serious bodily injury to the child or to another child of the parent, the State shall file a petition to terminate the parental rights of the childs parents (or, if such a petition has been filed by another party, seek to be joined as a party to the petition), and, concurrently, to identify, recruit, process, and approve a qualified family for an adoption, unless

(i) at the option of the State, the child is being cared for by a relative;

(ii) a State agency has documented in the case plan (which shall be available for court review) a compelling reason for determining that filing such a petition would not be in the best interests of the child; or

(iii) the State has not provided to the family of the child, consistent with the time period in the State case plan, such services as the State deems necessary for the safe return of the child to the childs home, if reasonable efforts of the type described in section 671 (a)(15)(B)(ii) of this title are required to be made with respect to the child;^[2]

(F) a child shall be considered to have entered foster care on the earlier of

(i) the date of the first judicial finding that the child has been subjected to child abuse or neglect; or

(ii) the date that is 60 days after the date on which the child is removed from the home;^[2] and

(G) the foster parents (if any) of a child and any preadoptive parent or relative providing care for the child are provided with notice of, and a right to be heard in, any proceeding to be held with respect to the child, except that this subparagraph shall not be construed to require that any foster parent, preadoptive parent, or relative providing care for the child be made a party to such a proceeding solely on the basis of such notice and right to be heard.

(6) The term administrative review means a review open to the participation of the parents of the child, conducted by a panel of appropriate persons at least one of whom is not responsible for the case management of, or the delivery of services to, either the child or the parents who are the subject of the review.

(7) The term legal guardianship means a judicially created relationship between child and caretaker which is intended to be permanent and self-sustaining as evidenced by the transfer to the caretaker of the following parental rights with respect to the child: protection, education, care and control of the person, custody of the person, and decisionmaking. The term legal guardian means the caretaker in such a relationship.

[1] See References in Text note below.
[2] So in original. The semicolon probably should be a comma.

42 USC 676 - Administration

(a) Technical assistance to States
The Secretary may provide technical assistance to the States to assist them to develop the programs authorized under this part and shall periodically

(1) evaluate the programs authorized under this part and part B of this subchapter and

(2) collect and publish data pertaining to the incidence and characteristics of foster care and adoptions in this country.

(b) Data collection and evaluation
Each State shall submit statistical reports as the Secretary may require with respect to children for whom payments are made under this part containing information with respect to such children including legal status, demographic characteristics, location, and length of any stay in foster care.

42 USC 677 - John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program

(a) Purpose
The purpose of this section is to provide States with flexible funding that will enable programs to be designed and conducted

(1) to identify children who are likely to remain in foster care until 18 years of age and to help these children make the transition to self-sufficiency by providing services such as assistance in obtaining a high school diploma, career exploration, vocational training, job placement and retention, training in daily living skills, training in budgeting and financial management skills, substance abuse prevention, and preventive health activities (including smoking avoidance, nutrition education, and pregnancy prevention);

(2) to help children who are likely to remain in foster care until 18 years of age receive the education, training, and services necessary to obtain employment;

(3) to help children who are likely to remain in foster care until 18 years of age prepare for and enter postsecondary training and education institutions;

(4) to provide personal and emotional support to children aging out of foster care, through mentors and the promotion of interactions with dedicated adults;

(5) to provide financial, housing, counseling, employment, education, and other appropriate support and services to former foster care recipients between 18 and 21 years of age to complement their own efforts to achieve self-sufficiency and to assure that program participants recognize and accept their personal responsibility for preparing for and then making the transition from adolescence to adulthood; and

(6) to make available vouchers for education and training, including postsecondary training and education, to youths who have aged out of foster care.

(b) Applications

(1) In general
A State may apply for funds from its allotment under subsection (c) of this section for a period of five consecutive fiscal years by submitting to the Secretary, in writing, a plan that meets the requirements of paragraph (2) and the certifications required by paragraph (3) with respect to the plan.

(2) State plan
A plan meets the requirements of this paragraph if the plan specifies which State agency or agencies will administer, supervise, or oversee the programs carried out under the plan, and describes how the State intends to do the following:

(A) Design and deliver programs to achieve the purposes of this section.

(B) Ensure that all political subdivisions in the State are served by the program, though not necessarily in a uniform manner.

(D) Involve the public and private sectors in helping adolescents in foster care achieve independence.

(E) Use objective criteria for determining eligibility for benefits and services under the programs, and for ensuring fair and equitable treatment of benefit recipients.

(F) Cooperate in national evaluations of the effects of the programs in achieving the purposes of this section.

(3) Certifications
The certifications required by this paragraph with respect to a plan are the following:

(A) A certification by the chief executive officer of the State that the State will provide assistance and services to children who have left foster care because they have attained 18 years of age, and who have not attained 21 years of age.

(B) A certification by the chief executive officer of the State that not more than 30 percent of the amounts paid to the State from its allotment under subsection (c) of this section for a fiscal year will be expended for room or board for children who have left foster care because they have attained 18 years of age, and who have not attained 21 years of age.

(C) A certification by the chief executive officer of the State that none of the amounts paid to the State from its allotment under subsection (c) of this section will be expended for room or board for any child who has not attained 18 years of age.

(D) A certification by the chief executive officer of the State that the State will use training funds provided under the program of Federal payments for foster care and adoption assistance to provide training to help foster parents, adoptive parents, workers in group homes, and case managers understand and address the issues confronting adolescents preparing for independent living, and will, to the extent possible, coordinate such training with the independent living program conducted for adolescents.

(E) A certification by the chief executive officer of the State that the State has consulted widely with public and private organizations in developing the plan and that the State has given all interested members of the public at least 30 days to submit comments on the plan.

(F) A certification by the chief executive officer of the State that the State will make every effort to coordinate the State programs receiving funds provided from an allotment made to the State under subsection (c) of this section with other Federal and State programs for youth (especially transitional living youth projects funded under part B of title III of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 [42 U.S.C. 5714–1 et seq.]), abstinence education programs, local housing programs, programs for disabled youth (especially sheltered workshops), and school-to-work programs offered by high schools or local workforce agencies.

(G) A certification by the chief executive officer of the State that each Indian tribe in the State has been consulted about the programs to be carried out under the plan; that there have been efforts to coordinate the programs with such tribes; and that benefits and services under the programs will be made available to Indian children in the State on the same basis as to other children in the State.

(H) A certification by the chief executive officer of the State that the State will ensure that adolescents participating in the program under this section participate directly in designing their own program activities that prepare them for independent living and that the adolescents accept personal responsibility for living up to their part of the program.

(I) A certification by the chief executive officer of the State that the State has established and will enforce standards and procedures to prevent fraud and abuse in the programs carried out under the plan.

(J) A certification by the chief executive officer of the State that the State educational and training voucher program under this section is in compliance with the conditions specified in subsection (i) of this section, including a statement describing methods the State will use

(i) to ensure that the total amount of educational assistance to a youth under this section and under other Federal and Federally supported programs does not exceed the limitation specified in subsection (i)(5) of this section; and

(ii) to avoid duplication of benefits under this and any other Federal or Federally assisted benefit program.

(4) Approval
The Secretary shall approve an application submitted by a State pursuant to paragraph (1) for a period if

(A) the application is submitted on or before June 30 of the calendar year in which such period begins; and

(B) the Secretary finds that the application contains the material required by paragraph (1).

(5) Authority to implement certain amendments; notification
A State with an application approved under paragraph (4) may implement any amendment to the plan contained in the application if the application, incorporating the amendment, would be approvable under paragraph (4). Within 30 days after a State implements any such amendment, the State shall notify the Secretary of the amendment.

(6) Availability
The State shall make available to the public any application submitted by the State pursuant to paragraph (1), and a brief summary of the plan contained in the application.

(1) General program allotment
From the amount specified in subsection (h)(1) of this section that remains after applying subsection (g)(2) of this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each State with an application approved under subsection (b) of this section for the fiscal year the amount which bears the ratio to such remaining amount equal to the State foster care ratio, as adjusted in accordance with paragraph (2).

(2) Hold harmless provision

(A) In general
The Secretary shall allot to each State whose allotment for a fiscal year under paragraph (1) is less than the greater of $500,000 or the amount payable to the State under this section for fiscal year 1998, an additional amount equal to the difference between such allotment and such greater amount.

(B) Ratable reduction of certain allotments
In the case of a State not described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reduce the amount allotted to the State for the fiscal year under paragraph (1) by the amount that bears the same ratio to the sum of the differences determined under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph for the fiscal year as the excess of the amount so allotted over the greater of $500,000 or the amount payable to the State under this section for fiscal year 1998 bears to the sum of such excess amounts determined for all such States.

(3) Voucher program allotment
From the amount, if any, appropriated pursuant to subsection (h)(2) of this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary may allot to each State with an application approved under subsection (b) of this section for the fiscal year an amount equal to the State foster care ratio multiplied by the amount so specified.

(4) State foster care ratio
In this subsection, the term State foster care ratio means the ratio of the number of children in foster care under a program of the State in the most recent fiscal year for which the information is available to the total number of children in foster care in all States for the most recent fiscal year.

(d) Use of funds

(1) In general
A State to which an amount is paid from its allotment under subsection (c) of this section may use the amount in any manner that is reasonably calculated to accomplish the purposes of this section.

(2) No supplantation of other funds available for same general purposes
The amounts paid to a State from its allotment under subsection (c) of this section shall be used to supplement and not supplant any other funds which are available for the same general purposes in the State.

(3) Two-year availability of funds
Payments made to a State under this section for a fiscal year shall be expended by the State in the fiscal year or in the succeeding fiscal year.

(4) Reallocation of unused funds
If a State does not apply for funds under this section for a fiscal year within such time as may be provided by the Secretary, the funds to which the State would be entitled for the fiscal year shall be reallocated to 1 or more other States on the basis of their relative need for additional payments under this section, as determined by the Secretary.

(e) Penalties

(1) Use of grant in violation of this part
If the Secretary is made aware, by an audit conducted under chapter 75 of title 31 or by any other means, that a program receiving funds from an allotment made to a State under subsection (c) of this section has been operated in a manner that is inconsistent with, or not disclosed in the State application approved under subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary shall assess a penalty against the State in an amount equal to not less than 1 percent and not more than 5 percent of the amount of the allotment.

(2) Failure to comply with data reporting requirement
The Secretary shall assess a penalty against a State that fails during a fiscal year to comply with an information collection plan implemented under subsection (f) of this section in an amount equal to not less than 1 percent and not more than 5 percent of the amount allotted to the State for the fiscal year.

(3) Penalties based on degree of noncompliance
The Secretary shall assess penalties under this subsection based on the degree of noncompliance.

(f) Data collection and performance measurement

(1) In general
The Secretary, in consultation with State and local public officials responsible for administering independent living and other child welfare programs, child welfare advocates, Members of Congress, youth service providers, and researchers, shall

(A) develop outcome measures (including measures of educational attainment, high school diploma, employment, avoidance of dependency, homelessness, nonmarital childbirth, incarceration, and high-risk behaviors) that can be used to assess the performance of States in operating independent living programs;

(B) identify data elements needed to track

(i) the number and characteristics of children receiving services under this section;

(ii) the type and quantity of services being provided; and

(iii) State performance on the outcome measures; and

(C) develop and implement a plan to collect the needed information beginning with the second fiscal year beginning after December 14, 1999.

(2) Report to the Congress
Within 12 months after December 14, 1999, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate a report detailing the plans and timetable for collecting from the States the information described in paragraph (1) and a proposal to impose penalties consistent with paragraph (e)(2) on States that do not report data.

(g) Evaluations

(1) In general
The Secretary shall conduct evaluations of such State programs funded under this section as the Secretary deems to be innovative or of potential national significance. The evaluation of any such program shall include information on the effects of the program on education, employment, and personal development. To the maximum extent practicable, the evaluations shall be based on rigorous scientific standards including random assignment to treatment and control groups. The Secretary is encouraged to work directly with State and local governments to design methods for conducting the evaluations, directly or by grant, contract, or cooperative agreement.

(2) Funding of evaluations
The Secretary shall reserve 1.5 percent of the amount specified in subsection (h) of this section for a fiscal year to carry out, during the fiscal year, evaluation, technical assistance, performance measurement, and data collection activities related to this section, directly or through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements with appropriate entities.

(h) Limitations on authorization of appropriations
To carry out this section and for payments to States under section 674 (a)(4) of this title, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for each fiscal year

(1) $140,000,000, which shall be available for all purposes under this section; and

(2) an additional $60,000,000, which are authorized to be available for payments to States for education and training vouchers for youths who age out of foster care, to assist the youths to develop skills necessary to lead independent and productive lives.

(i) Educational and training vouchers
The following conditions shall apply to a State educational and training voucher program under this section:

(1) Vouchers under the program may be available to youths otherwise eligible for services under the State program under this section.

(2) For purposes of the voucher program, youths adopted from foster care after attaining age 16 may be considered to be youths otherwise eligible for services under the State program under this section.

(3) The State may allow youths participating in the voucher program on the date they attain 21 years of age to remain eligible until they attain 23 years of age, as long as they are enrolled in a postsecondary education or training program and are making satisfactory progress toward completion of that program.

(4) The voucher or vouchers provided for an individual under this section

(A) may be available for the cost of attendance at an institution of higher education, as defined in section 1002 of title 20; and

(B) shall not exceed the lesser of $5,000 per year or the total cost of attendance, as defined in section 1087ll of title 20.

(5) The amount of a voucher under this section may be disregarded for purposes of determining the recipients eligibility for, or the amount of, any other Federal or Federally supported assistance, except that the total amount of educational assistance to a youth under this section and under other Federal and Federally supported programs shall not exceed the total cost of attendance, as defined in section 1087ll of title 20, and except that the State agency shall take appropriate steps to prevent duplication of benefits under this and other Federal or Federally supported programs.

(6) The program is coordinated with other appropriate education and training programs.

42 USC 678 - Rule of construction

Nothing in this part shall be construed as precluding State courts from exercising their discretion to protect the health and safety of children in individual cases, including cases other than those described in section 671 (a)(15)(D) of this title.

42 USC 679 - Collection of data relating to adoption and foster care

(a) Advisory Committee on Adoption and Foster Care Information

(1) Not later than 90 days after October 21, 1986, the Secretary shall establish an Advisory Committee on Adoption and Foster Care Information (in this section referred to as the Advisory Committee) to study the various methods of establishing, administering, and financing a system for the collection of data with respect to adoption and foster care in the United States.

(2) The study required by paragraph (1) shall

(A) identify the types of data necessary to

(i) assess (on a continuing basis) the incidence, characteristics, and status of adoption and foster care in the United States, and

(ii) develop appropriate national policies with respect to adoption and foster care;

(B) evaluate the feasibility and appropriateness of collecting data with respect to privately arranged adoptions and adoptions arranged through private agencies without assistance from public child welfare agencies;

(D) evaluate the financial and administrative impact of implementing each such method.

(3) Not later than October 1, 1987, the Advisory Committee shall submit to the Secretary and the Congress a report setting forth the results of the study required by paragraph (1) and evaluating and making recommendations with respect to the various methods of establishing, administering, and financing a system for the collection of data with respect to adoption and foster care in the United States.

(4)

(A) Subject to subparagraph (B), the membership and organization of the Advisory Committee shall be determined by the Secretary.

(B) The membership of the Advisory Committee shall include representatives of

(i) private, nonprofit">nonprofit organizations with an interest in child welfare (including organizations that provide foster care and adoption services),

(ii) organizations representing State and local governmental agencies with responsibility for foster care and adoption services,

(iii) organizations representing State and local governmental agencies with responsibility for the collection of health and social statistics,

(iv) organizations representing State and local judicial bodies with jurisdiction over family law,

(v) Federal agencies responsible for the collection of health and social statistics, and

(vi) organizations and agencies involved with privately arranged or international adoptions.

(5) After the date of the submission of the report required by paragraph (3), the Advisory Committee shall cease to exist.

(b) Report to Congress; regulations

(1)

(A) Not later than July 1, 1988, the Secretary shall submit to the Congress a report that

(i) proposes a method of establishing, administering, and financing a system for the collection of data relating to adoption and foster care in the United States,

(ii) evaluates the feasibility and appropriateness of collecting data with respect to privately arranged adoptions and adoptions arranged through private agencies without assistance from public child welfare agencies, and

(iii) evaluates the impact of the system proposed under clause (i) on the agencies with responsibility for implementing it.

(B) The report required by subparagraph (A) shall

(i) specify any changes in law that will be necessary to implement the system proposed under subparagraph (A)(i), and

(ii) describe the type of system that will be implemented under paragraph (2) in the absence of such changes.

(2) Not later than December 31, 1988, the Secretary shall promulgate final regulations providing for the implementation of

(A) the system proposed under paragraph (1)(A)(i), or

(B) if the changes in law specified pursuant to paragraph (1)(B)(i) have not been enacted, the system described in paragraph (1)(B)(ii).

Such regulations shall provide for the full implementation of the system not later than October 1, 1991.

(1) avoid unnecessary diversion of resources from agencies responsible for adoption and foster care;

(2) assure that any data that is collected is reliable and consistent over time and among jurisdictions through the use of uniform definitions and methodologies;

(3) provide comprehensive national information with respect to

(A) the demographic characteristics of adoptive and foster children and their biological and adoptive or foster parents,

(B) the status of the foster care population (including the number of children in foster care, length of placement, type of placement, availability for adoption, and goals for ending or continuing foster care),

(i) children placed in or removed from foster care,

(ii) children adopted or with respect to whom adoptions have been terminated, and

(iii) children placed in foster care outside the State which has placement and care responsibility, and

(D) the extent and nature of assistance provided by Federal, State, and local adoption and foster care programs and the characteristics of the children with respect to whom such assistance is provided; and

(4) utilize appropriate requirements and incentives to ensure that the system functions reliably throughout the United States.

42 USC 679a - National Adoption Information Clearinghouse

The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish, either directly or by grant or contract, a National Adoption Information Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse shall

(1) collect, compile, and maintain information obtained from available research, studies, and reports by public and private agencies, institutions, or individuals concerning all aspects of infant adoption and adoption of children with special needs;

(2) compile, maintain, and periodically revise directories of information concerning

(A) crisis pregnancy centers,

(B) shelters and residences for pregnant women,

(D) educational programs on adoption,

(E) licensed adoption agencies,

(F) State laws relating to adoption,

(G) intercountry adoption, and

(H) any other information relating to adoption for pregnant women, infertile couples, adoptive parents, unmarried individuals who want to adopt children, individuals who have been adopted, birth parents who have placed a child for adoption, adoption agencies, social workers, counselors, or other individuals who work in the adoption field;

(3) disseminate the information compiled and maintained pursuant to paragraph (1) and the directories compiled and maintained pursuant to paragraph (2); and

(4) upon the establishment of an adoption and foster care data collection system pursuant to section 679 of this title, disseminate the data and information made available through that system.

42 USC 679b - Annual report

The Secretary, in consultation with Governors, State legislatures, State and local public officials responsible for administering child welfare programs, and child welfare advocates, shall

(1) develop a set of outcome measures (including length of stay in foster care, number of foster care placements, and number of adoptions) that can be used to assess the performance of States in operating child protection and child welfare programs pursuant to part B of this subchapter and this part to ensure the safety of children;

(2) to the maximum extent possible, the outcome measures should be developed from data available from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System;

(3) develop a system for rating the performance of States with respect to the outcome measures, and provide to the States an explanation of the rating system and how scores are determined under the rating system;

(4) prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to ensure that States provide to the Secretary the data necessary to determine State performance with respect to each outcome measure, as a condition of the State receiving funds under this part;

(5) on May 1, 1999, and annually thereafter, prepare and submit to the Congress a report on the performance of each State on each outcome measure, which shall examine the reasons for high performance and low performance and, where possible, make recommendations as to how State performance could be improved; and

(6) include in the report submitted pursuant to paragraph (5) for fiscal year 2007 or any succeeding fiscal year, State-by-State data on

(A) the percentage of children in foster care under the responsibility of the State who were visited on a monthly basis by the caseworker handling the case of the child; and

(B) the percentage of the visits that occurred in the residence of the child.

Part F - Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training Program

681 to 687. Repealed. Pub. L. 104193, title I, 108(e), Aug. 22, 1996, 110 Stat. 2167

Section 681, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 481, as added Oct. 13, 1988, Pub. L. 100–485, title II, § 201(b), 102 Stat. 2360, related to purpose of part and definitions. Section 682, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 482, as added Oct. 13, 1988, Pub. L. 100–485, title II, § 201(b), 102 Stat. 2360; amended Oct. 31, 1994, Pub. L. 103–432, title II, § 241(a), 108 Stat. 4466, related to establishment and operation of State programs. Section 683, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 483, as added Oct. 13, 1988, Pub. L. 100–485, title II, § 201(b), 102 Stat. 2369, related to coordination of Federal and State programs. Section 684, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 484, as added Oct. 13, 1988, Pub. L. 100–485, title II, § 201(b), 102 Stat. 2370, related to provisions generally applicable to provision of services. Section 685, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 485, as added Oct. 13, 1988, Pub. L. 100–485, title II, § 201(b), 102 Stat. 2371, related to contract authority. Section 686, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 486, as added Oct. 13, 1988, Pub. L. 100–485, title II, § 201(b), 102 Stat. 2372, related to initial State evaluations. Section 687, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, 487, as added Oct. 13, 1988, Pub. L. 100–485, title II, § 203(b), 102 Stat. 2378; amended Oct. 31, 1994, Pub. L. 103–432, title II, § 242, 108 Stat. 4466, related to performance standards.