1.1    .................... moves to amend H. F. No. 605, the first engrossment, as follows:
1.2Page 9, line 29, reinstate the stricken language
1.3Page 9, line 30, delete the new language
1.4Page 9, line 31, strike everything after "(a)" and delete the new language
1.5Page 9, strike line 32
1.6Page 10, strike lines 1 to 3
1.7Page 10, line 5, delete the new language and insert "Families receiving assistance
1.8under this section shall comply with all applicable requirements in this chapter."
1.9Page 10, line 6, reinstate the stricken language and delete "2007"
1.10Page 10, line 8, strike everything after the third comma
1.11Page 10, line 9, strike everything before "who" and strike "eligible"
1.12Page 10, line 10, strike everything after the period
1.13Page 10, strike lines 11 to 14
1.14Page 11, line 15, reinstate the stricken "the county agency shall determine" and
1.15insert "the loan value of all additional vehicles and exclude the combined loan value of
1.16less than or equal to $....... The county agency shall apply any excess loan value as if it
1.17were equity value to the asset limit described in this section,"
1.18Page 11, line 16, reinstate everything after the stricken "$7,500,"
1.19Page 11, lines 17 to 19, reinstate the stricken language and delete the new language
1.20Page 11, strike line 21
1.21Page 11, line 22, strike everything before "To"
1.22Page 11, lines 23, 25, 27, and 30, reinstate the stricken language
1.23Page 20, after line 31, insert:

1.24    "Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 256J.46, is amended by adding a
1.25subdivision to read:
2.1    Subd. 3. Restrictions on sanctions. A participant shall not be sanctioned for failure
2.2to meet the agreed upon hours in a participant's employment plan under section 256J.521,
2.3subdivision 2, when the participant:
2.4    (1) fails to meet the agreed upon hours of participation in paid employment because
2.5the participant is not eligible for holiday pay and the participant's place of employment is
2.6closed for a holiday; or
2.7    (2) is otherwise meeting or exceeding the federal TANF work participation rate
2.8hourly requirements."
2.9Page 23, delete section 24 and insert:

2.10    "Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 256J.521, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
2.11    Subd. 2. Employment plan; contents. (a) Based on the assessment under
2.12subdivision 1, the job counselor and the participant must develop an employment plan
2.13that includes participation in activities and hours that meet the requirements of section
2.14256J.55, subdivision 1 . The purpose of the employment plan is to identify for each
2.15participant the most direct path to unsubsidized employment and any subsequent steps that
2.16support long-term economic stability. The employment plan should be developed using
2.17the highest level of activity appropriate for the participant. Activities must be chosen from
2.18clauses (1) to (6), which are listed in order of preference. Notwithstanding this order of
2.19preference for activities, priority must be given for activities related to a family violence
2.20waiver when developing the employment plan. The employment plan must also list the
2.21specific steps the participant will take to obtain employment, including steps necessary
2.22for the participant to progress from one level of activity to another, and a timetable for
2.23completion of each step. Levels of activity include:
2.24    (1) unsubsidized employment;
2.25    (2) job search;
2.26    (3) subsidized employment or unpaid work experience;
2.27    (4) unsubsidized employment and job readiness education or job skills training;
2.28    (5) unsubsidized employment or unpaid work experience and activities related to
2.29a family violence waiver or preemployment needs; and
2.30    (6) activities related to a family violence waiver or preemployment needs.
2.31    (b) Participants who are determined to possess sufficient skills such that the
2.32participant is likely to succeed in obtaining unsubsidized employment must job search at
2.33least 30 hours per week for up to six weeks and accept any offer of suitable employment.
2.34The remaining hours necessary to meet the requirements of section 256J.55, subdivision
2.351 , may be met through participation in other work activities under section 256J.49,
2.36subdivision 13 . The participant's employment plan must specify, at a minimum: (1)
3.1whether the job search is supervised or unsupervised; (2) support services that will
3.2be provided; and (3) how frequently the participant must report to the job counselor.
3.3Participants who are unable to find suitable employment after six weeks must meet
3.4with the job counselor to determine whether other activities in paragraph (a) should be
3.5incorporated into the employment plan. Job search activities which are continued after six
3.6weeks must be structured and supervised.
3.7    (c) Beginning July 1, 2004, activities and hourly requirements in the employment
3.8plan may be adjusted as necessary to accommodate the personal and family circumstances
3.9of participants identified under section 256J.561, subdivision 2, paragraph (d). Participants
3.10who no longer meet the provisions of section 256J.561, subdivision 2, paragraph (d),
3.11must meet with the job counselor within ten days of the determination to revise the
3.12employment plan.
3.13    (d) Participants who are determined to have barriers to obtaining or retaining
3.14employment that will not be overcome during six weeks of job search under paragraph (b)
3.15must work with the job counselor to develop an employment plan that addresses those
3.16barriers by incorporating appropriate activities from paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (6).
3.17The employment plan must include enough hours to meet the participation requirements
3.18in section 256J.55, subdivision 1, unless a compelling reason to require fewer hours
3.19is noted in the participant's file.
3.20    (e) The job counselor and the participant must sign the employment plan to indicate
3.21agreement on the contents.
3.22    (f) Except as provided under paragraphs (g) and (h), failure to develop or comply
3.23with activities in the plan, or voluntarily quitting suitable employment without good cause,
3.24will result in the imposition of a sanction under section 256J.46.
3.25    (g) When a participant fails to meet the agreed upon hours of participation in paid
3.26employment because the participant is not eligible for holiday pay and the participant's
3.27place of employment is closed for a holiday, the job counselor shall not impose a sanction
3.28or increase the hours of participation in any other activity, including paid employment, to
3.29offset the hours that were missed due to the holiday.
3.30    (h) The job counselor shall not impose a sanction for failure to meet the agreed upon
3.31hours in a participant's employment plan under this subdivision when the participant
3.32is otherwise meeting or exceeding the federal TANF work participation rate hourly
3.33requirements.
3.34    (f) (i) Employment plans must be reviewed at least every three months to determine
3.35whether activities and hourly requirements should be revised."
3.36Page 27, line 14, strike "30"
4.1Page 27, line 15, strike everything before the period and insert "130 hours per month
4.2of work activities"
4.3Page 27, line 17, strike "20"
4.4Page 27, line 18, strike everything before the period and insert "87 hours per month
4.5of work activities"
4.6Page 28, line 32, delete "state" and insert "United States"
4.7Page 31, delete section 30 and insert:

4.8    "Sec. 30. [256J.621] WORK PARTICIPATION TRANSITIONAL ASSISTANCE
4.9PAYMENT.
4.10    (a) Upon exiting the diversionary work program (DWP) or upon terminating
4.11MFIP cash assistance with earnings, a participant who is employed may be eligible for
4.12transitional assistance of $100 per month to assist in meeting the family's basic needs as
4.13the participant continues to move toward self-sufficiency.
4.14    (b) To be eligible for a transitional assistance payment, the participant shall not
4.15receive MFIP cash assistance or DWP assistance during the month and the participant or
4.16participants must meet the following work requirements:
4.17    (1) if the participant is a single caregiver and has a child under six years of age, the
4.18participant must be employed at least 87 hours per month;
4.19    (2) if the participant is a single caregiver and does not have a child under six years of
4.20age, the participant must be employed at least 130 hours per month; and
4.21    (3) if the household is a two-parent family, at least one of the parents must be
4.22employed an average of at least 130 hours per month.
4.23    Whenever a participant exits the DWP or is terminated from MFIP and meets the
4.24other criteria in this section, transitional assistance is available for up to 12 consecutive
4.25months.
4.26    (c) The commissioner shall establish minimal policies and develop forms to verify
4.27eligibility for transitional assistance. The commissioner is authorized to change or
4.28modify the provisions of this section in order to comply with federal rules or regulations
4.29promulgated as a result of federal legislation passed in February 2006.
4.30    (d) Expenditures on the transitional assistance program are maintenance of effort
4.31state funds. Months in which a participant receives transitional assistance under this
4.32section do not count toward the participant's MFIP 60-month time limit."
4.33Page 41, delete section 44 and insert:

4.34    "Sec. 44. PAID TRANSITIONAL WORK AND OTHER SUPPORTED
4.35EMPLOYMENT.
5.1    Funds appropriated to the commissioner under section 45, subdivision 4, must
5.2be allocated to counties based on the criteria under this section. Paid transitional work
5.3experience and other supported employment under this section provides a continuum of
5.4employment assistance, including outreach and recruitment, program orientation and
5.5intake, testing and assessment, job development and marketing, preworksite training,
5.6supported worksite experience, job coaching, and postplacement follow-up in addition to
5.7extensive case management and referral services.
5.8    (a) A county is eligible to receive an allocation under section 2, subdivision 4, if:
5.9    (1) the county is not meeting the federal work participation rate;
5.10    (2) the county has participants who are required to perform work activities under
5.11Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256J, but are not meeting hourly work requirements; and
5.12    (3) the county has assessed participants who have completed six weeks of job search
5.13or are required to perform work activities and are not meeting the hourly requirements,
5.14and the county has determined that the participant would benefit from working in a
5.15supported work environment.
5.16    (b) A county may also be eligible for funds in order to contract for supplemental
5.17hours of paid work at the participant's child's place of education, child care location,
5.18or the physical or mental health treatment facility or office. This grant to counties is
5.19specifically for MFIP participants who need to work up to five hours more per week in
5.20order to meet the hourly work requirement, and the participant's employer cannot or will
5.21not offer more hours to the participant."
5.22Renumber the sections in sequence and correct the internal references
5.23Amend the title accordingly