This bill amends existing laws regarding local assistance eligibility by allowing municipalities to establish residency requirements while ensuring that individuals in need receive short-term emergency aid during the verification process. It specifically addresses individuals who have left their town of origin due to domestic or sexual violence, ensuring they are not disqualified from receiving assistance based on residency. The bill also mandates that local governing bodies create written guidelines for general assistance applications, eligibility criteria, and appeals processes, which must include acceptable proof of residency documentation.

Additionally, the bill introduces a new section for temporary emergency assistance, allowing welfare officials to provide aid for up to six days to individuals while they work on proving their residency or coordinating with their municipality of origin. It outlines the financial responsibilities of municipalities in providing assistance and establishes a process for resolving disputes regarding residency through inter-municipal hearings. The language changes include the replacement of "himself" with "themselves" and the addition of specific provisions for residency verification and temporary assistance, while deleting previous definitions of residency. The act will take effect 60 days after passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 165:1
As Amended by the House: 165:1
As Amended by the Senate: 165:1, 165:2-a
Version adopted by both bodies: 165:1, 165:2-a