Sec. 17b-91. (Formerly Sec. 17-83a). Eligibility exclusions. State supplement program. Temporary family assistance program. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 17b-91. (Formerly Sec. 17-83a). Eligibility exclusions. State supplement program. Temporary family assistance program. (a) The commissioner shall exclude, in the determination of eligibility for the state supplement program and the temporary family assistance program, burial funds in an amount not to exceed the maximum amount provided in section 17b-84. Such funds may be in the form of prepaid funeral service contracts as described in section 42-200, irrevocable funeral contracts or the face value of life insurance policies if the cash surrender value is excluded, or any combination thereof, not to exceed the maximum amount provided in said section 17b-84.

      (b) The commissioner shall exclude, in the determination of eligibility for the state supplement program and for the temporary family assistance program, the value of a burial plot not to exceed one exclusion per individual.

      (c) The commissioner shall exclude from consideration as an asset, in the determination of eligibility for the state supplement program and for the temporary family assistance program, the value of an irrevocable funeral contract except that the value of such contract shall be considered towards the amount excluded in subsection (a) of this section.

      (d) Nothing in this section shall prevent the commissioner from excluding from consideration as an asset in the determination of eligibility for the state supplement program, or the temporary family assistance program other personal or real property as he determines is necessary for the effective administration of such programs.

      (e) Where federal law or regulations governing the state supplement program, the temporary family assistance program, or the medical assistance program conflict with the provisions of this section, such law or regulations shall prevail.

      (f) The exclusion for the burial fund amount in subsection (a) of this section, the exclusion for the burial plot value in subsection (b) of this section and the exclusion for the irrevocable funeral contract value in subsection (c) of this section shall be applied by the commissioner uniformly throughout the state. For purposes of this section, "burial plot" means a purchase of a grave site, opening and closing of a grave site, cremation urn, casket, outer burial container and a headstone or marker.

      (1959, P.A. 395, S. 4; 1963, P.A. 438, S. 1; February, 1965, P.A. 625, S. 1; 1967, P.A. 151, S. 1; 1969, P.A. 730, S. 35; P.A. 86-290, S. 3, 10; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 38, 165; P.A. 04-233, S. 1.)

      History: 1963 act reduced amount of contract from $600 to $400; 1965 act increased amount to $450; 1967 act made a further increase to $500; 1969 act increased amount of contract to $600; P.A. 86-290 entirely replaced prior provisions which had limited value of prearranged funeral contracts which would not affect eligibility for assistance to $600; Sec. 17-83a transferred to Sec. 17b-91 in 1995; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 replaced references to aid to families with dependent children with temporary family assistance and made technical changes, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 04-233 added Subsec. (f) to require the commissioner to apply the burial fund amount exclusion in Subsec. (a), the burial plot value exclusion in Subsec. (b), and the irrevocable funeral contract value in Subsec. (c) uniformly throughout the state, and defined "burial plot".