This bill amends West Virginia Code §9-8-4 to establish new eligibility requirements for public assistance applicants who are non-custodial and custodial parents. It mandates that all applications for benefits be processed through a specified system and completed within 10 days, while ensuring that the department accesses necessary information from various sources without violating federal law. Non-custodial parents must cooperate with child support enforcement to maintain eligibility, and those who are delinquent in court-ordered child support payments will be disqualified. Additionally, custodial parents are required to cooperate with child support enforcement to establish paternity, although they cannot be compelled to conduct investigative activities regarding the non-custodial parent.

The bill also includes provisions for the department to create rules for legislative approval to implement these requirements and specifies that the new regulations will take effect on January 1, 2025, or when the department transitions to a new enhanced eligibility verification system, whichever comes first. Overall, the bill aims to strengthen the enforcement of child support obligations as a condition for receiving public assistance.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 9-8-4