Sec. 17b-112c. Alien eligibility for temporary family assistance or state-administered general assistance. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 17b-112c. Alien eligibility for temporary family assistance or state-administered general assistance. (a) Qualified aliens, as defined in Section 431 of Public Law 104-193, who do not qualify for federally-funded cash assistance, other lawfully residing immigrant aliens or aliens who formerly held the status of permanently residing under color of law shall be eligible for solely state-funded temporary family assistance or cash assistance under the state-administered general assistance program, provided other conditions of eligibility are met. An individual who is granted assistance under this section must pursue citizenship to the maximum extent allowed by law as a condition of eligibility unless incapable of doing so due to a medical problem, language barrier or other reason as determined by the Commissioner of Social Services. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, any qualified alien or other lawfully residing immigrant alien or alien who formerly held the status of permanently residing under color of law who is a victim of domestic violence or who has mental retardation shall be eligible for assistance under this section.

      (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section: (1) A qualified alien admitted into the United States on or after August 22, 1996, or other lawfully residing immigrant alien determined eligible for temporary family assistance or cash assistance under the state-administered general assistance program prior to July 1, 1997, or other lawfully residing immigrant alien or alien who formerly held the status of permanently residing under color of law, shall remain eligible, and (2) a qualified alien, other lawfully residing immigrant alien admitted into the United States on or after August 22, 1996, other lawfully residing immigrant alien or an alien who formerly held the status of permanently residing under color of law and not determined eligible prior to July 1, 1997, shall be eligible for such assistance subsequent to six months from establishing residency in this state.

      (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, a qualified alien or other lawfully residing immigrant alien or alien who formerly held the status of permanently residing under color of law who is a victim of domestic violence or who has mental retardation shall be eligible for assistance under this section.

      (June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 144, 165; P.A. 99-279, S. 9, 45; P.A. 00-83, S. 1, 5; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2, S. 17, 19, 69; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9, S. 111, 112, 127, 129, 131; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7, S. 24; P.A. 04-258, S. 15.)

      History: June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 99-279 amended Subsec. (b) to extend from July 1, 1999, to July 1, 2001, the eligibility of certain qualified aliens or other lawfully residing immigrant aliens for temporary family assistance, effective July 1, 1999; P.A. 00-83 amended Subsec. (a) to add provisions re certain aliens eligible for solely state-funded temporary family assistance, assistance under "Reach for Jobs First" or cash assistance under the state-administered general assistance program, to delete reference to qualified aliens "admitted into the United States prior to August 22, 1996", to delete provisions re qualified aliens admitted into the United States on or after August 22, 1996, and not determined eligible for assistance prior to July 1, 1997, to provide that an alien who formerly held status of permanently residing under color of law who is a domestic violence victim or who has mental retardation shall be eligible for assistance under this section, and to make conforming technical changes, amended Subsec. (b)(1) to add reference to cash assistance under the state-administered general assistance program and to provide that other lawfully residing immigrant aliens who formerly held status of permanently residing under color of law shall remain eligible for assistance until July 1, 2001, and amended Subsec. (b)(2) to add reference to other lawfully residing immigrant alien or alien who formerly held such status and to delete provisions re eligibility of individual qualified under Title IV of Public Law 104-93, effective July 1, 2000; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2 amended Subsec. (a) to eliminate provision re "Reach for Jobs First" program and to prohibit commissioner from accepting new applications for assistance under subsection as of July 2, 2001, and amended Subsec. (b) to delete July 1, 2001, eligibility termination date in Subdivs. (1) and (2) and to delete exception for otherwise qualified individuals in Subdiv. (2), effective July 2, 2001; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9 changed deadline for applications under Subsec. (a) to June 30, 2002, and added Subsec. (c) re eligibility of qualified aliens or other lawfully residing immigrants who are the victims of domestic violence or who have mental retardation, effective July 1, 2001, and also revised effective date of June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2 but without affecting this section; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7 amended Subsec. (a) to extend the deadline for certain aliens to apply for assistance until June 30, 2003, effective August 15, 2002; P.A. 04-258 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting provision that prohibited commissioner from accepting new applications for assistance after June 30, 2003, effective July 1, 2004.