The bill amends K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 39-709, focusing on eligibility requirements for assistance programs funded by federal moneys in Kansas. It allows the Secretary for Children and Families to exempt one motor vehicle from resource calculations while establishing that additional vehicles may be considered nonexempt unless used for income generation. The bill clarifies the definition of a "family group" for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and sets work participation requirements for adults in TANF households. It also introduces penalties for non-cooperation with TANF work programs and child support services, as well as stricter measures for individuals convicted of felonies related to controlled substances, detailing conditions for regaining eligibility for food assistance.

Additionally, the bill imposes stricter work requirements for able-bodied adults aged 18 to 49 receiving food assistance, limits eligibility to three months within a 36-month period unless work requirements are met, and clarifies that non-citizens without qualifying documentation will not be counted in household size for benefit calculations. It introduces provisions for drug screening of cash assistance applicants and recipients, allowing for testing based on reasonable suspicion of unlawful substance use. The bill establishes that individuals convicted of certain felonies related to controlled substances after July 1, 2013, will be permanently ineligible for cash assistance unless it is their first conviction, in which case they will be ineligible for five years. The bill also repeals K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 39-709, indicating a significant change in the legal framework surrounding cash assistance and drug screening.

Statutes affected:
As introduced: 39-709, 21-5701