§ 40-5.2-38. Application and effect of this chapter on applicants and recipients.
(a) All provisions of this chapter, with the exception of subsection (b), shall be effective
and apply to all applicants and recipients on or after July 1, 2008.
(b) For all current recipients as of July 1, 2008, who have received cash assistance,
either state or federally funded, since May 1, 1997, under Rhode Island's Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families Program (federal TANF described at Title IV-A of the
federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 601 et seq.), formerly entitled the family independence program, or received cash assistance
from another state, either state or federally funded, since May 1, 1997, under that
state's similar Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (federal TANF described
at Title IV-A of the federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 601 et seq.), prior to October 1, 2008, application and implementation of the time limits
described in § 40-5.2-10(h) will occur on and after July 1, 2009.
(c) All cash assistance received, either state or federally funded, since May 1, 1997,
under Rhode Island's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (federal TANF
described at Title IV-A of the federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 601 et seq.), formerly entitled the family independence program, or in another state
under that state's similar Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (federal
TANF described at Title IV-A of the federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 601 et seq.) prior to July 1, 2009, shall be counted toward the time limits of cash assistance
described in § 40-5.1-10(h) [repealed].
(d) The department will not close families who previously received cash assistance, either
state or federally funded, since May 1, 1997, under Rhode Island's Temporary Assistance
for Needy Families Program (federal TANF described at Title IV-A of the federal Social
Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 601 et seq.), formerly entitled the family independence program, or in another state
under that state's similar Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (federal
TANF described at Title IV-A of the federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 601 et seq.) prior to the effective date of the Rhode Island works program due to the
time limit outlined in § 40-5.2-10(h) of this chapter until July 1, 2009. Except, however, all those families who previously
received family independence program cash assistance, either state or federally funded
or in another state, as described above, and who will reach the family independence
program sixty-month (60), lifetime time limit in accordance with prior Rhode Island general law, § 40-5.1-8(d), prior to July 1, 2009, shall be closed at the time they would have reached the sixty-month
(60) time limit in accordance with prior Rhode Island general law, § 40-5.1-8(d). Nothing in this section shall be deemed to mean that any recipient of cash assistance,
either state or federally funded, through the prior family independence program shall
receive more than the time limit of sixty (60) months of cash assistance that had
been permissible under prior Rhode Island general law, § 40-5.1-8(d).
(e) Those families or assistance units receiving cash assistance shall be notified in
writing as to the time limits imposed on the receipt of cash assistance in accordance
with the Rhode Island works program under this chapter, as well as all the other program
requirements.