Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
Act 1064 of the Regular Session
1 State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H3/23/21 S4/20/21
2 93rd General Assembly A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2021 HOUSE BILL 1642
4
5 By: Representative Underwood
6
7 For An Act To Be Entitled
8 AN ACT TO PROMOTE SUCCESSFUL FAMILIES IN PUBLIC
9 HOUSING; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
10
11
12 Subtitle
13 TO PROMOTE SUCCESSFUL FAMILIES IN PUBLIC
14 HOUSING.
15
16
17 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
18
19 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 14, Chapter 169, Subchapter 1 is
20 amended to add an additional section to read as follows:
21 14-169-108. Child support cooperation Legislative intent
22 Definitions.
23 (a) This section is:
24 (1) Intended to encourage and permit a public housing authority
25 to give priority to a person who cooperates with the Office of Child Support
26 Enforcement over a person who does not cooperate with the office;
27 (2) Not intended to permit a public housing authority to give
28 priority to a person who cooperates with the office over a person who does
29 not have a child support plan; and
30 (3) Not intended to penalize a custodial parent of a child or
31 permit a public housing authority to penalize a custodial parent of a child
32 when the noncustodial parent of the child fails to pay child support as
33 ordered by a court.
34 (b) As used in this section:
35 (1) "Child support cooperation requirement" means cooperation as
36 described in:
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 As Engrossed: H3/23/21 S4/20/21 HB1642
1 (A) The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as
2 authorized under 7 C.F.R. 273.11, as it existed on January 1, 2021; and
3 (B) 7 C.F.R. 273.11(o) and 7 C.F.R. 273.11(p), as they
4 existed on January 1, 2021, including without limitation the exemptions for
5 good cause; and
6 (2) "Public housing authority" means a housing authority created
7 under 14-169-207.
8 (c)(1) A public housing authority shall operate, among eligible
9 households on a waiting list for benefits, a housing-authority-wide local
10 preference prioritizing the admission of a person who is compliant with the
11 child support cooperation requirement, whether or not the person receives
12 nutrition assistance benefits.
13 (2) A public housing authority shall determine the weight of the
14 housing-authority-wide local preference prioritizing the admission of a
15 person who is compliant with the child support cooperation requirement as
16 compared to another applicable local preference based on local needs.
17 (d) A public housing authority shall:
18 (1) Operate a housing-authority-wide child support cooperation
19 requirement; and
20 (2) Require compliance by a custodial parent or noncustodial
21 parent as a condition of eligibility for housing benefits and assistance.
22 (e) This section does not permit a public housing authority to:
23 (1) Give priority to a person who cooperates with the office
24 over a person who does not have a child support plan; or
25 (2) Penalize a custodial parent of a child when the noncustodial
26 parent of the child fails to pay child support as ordered by a court.
27
28 SECTION 2. DO NOT CODIFY. Temporary language.
29 A public housing authority shall submit all required waiver
30 applications to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
31 by January 1, 2022, to obtain any necessary authority to implement this act
32 by January 1, 2023.
33
34 /s/Underwood
35
36 APPROVED: 4/30/21
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