II

104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 2043

To require the implementation of a corrective action plan in States in which

child poverty has increased.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

AUGUST 2, 1996

Mr. KERRY introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred

to the Committee on Finance

A BILL

To require the implementation of a corrective action plan

in States in which child poverty has increased.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. CHILD POVERTY CORRECTIVE ACTION PLANS.

4 Section 413 of the Social Security Act, as added by

5 the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Rec6 onciliation Act of 1996, is amended by adding at the end

7 thereof the following new subsection:

8 ‘‘(h) CHILD POVERTY RATES.—

9 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days

10 after the date of the enactment of this subsection,
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1 and annually thereafter, the chief executive officer of

2 a State shall submit to the Secretary a statement of

3 the child poverty rate in the State as of such date

4 of enactment or the date of such subsequent state5 ments. Such subsequent statements shall include the

6 change in such rate from the previous statement, if

7 any.

8 ‘‘(2) INCREASE IN RATE.—

9 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—With respect to a

10 State that submits a statement under para11 graph (1) that indicates an increase of 5 per12 cent or more in the child poverty rate of the

13 State from the previous statement, the State

14 shall, not later than 90 days after the date of

15 such statement, prepare and submit to the Sec16 retary a corrective action plan in accordance

17 with paragraph (3).

18 ‘‘(3) CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN.—

19 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A corrective action

20 plan submitted under paragraph (2) shall out21 line that manner in which the State will reduce

22 the child poverty rate within the State. The

23 plan shall include a description of the actions to

24 be taken by the State under such plan.
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1 ‘‘(B) CONSULTATION ABOUT MODIFICA2 TIONS.—During the 60-day period that begins

3 with the date the Secretary receives the correc4 tive action plan of a State under subparagraph

5 (A), the Secretary may consult with the State

6 on modifications to the plan.

7 ‘‘(C) ACCEPTANCE OF PLAN.— A correc8 tive action plan submitted by a State in accord9 ance with subparagraph (A) is deemed to be ac10 cepted by the Secretary if the Secretary does

11 not accept or reject the plan during 60-day pe12 riod that begins on the date the plan is submit13 ted.

14 ‘‘(4) COMPLIANCE WITH PLAN.—

15 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A State that submits

16 a corrective action plan under this subsection

17 shall continue to implement such plan until

18 such time as the Secretary makes the deter19 mination described in subparagraph (B).

20 ‘‘(B) DETERMINATION.—A determination

21 described in this subparagraph is a determina22 tion that the child poverty rate for the State in23 volved has fallen to, and not exceeded for a pe24 riod of 2-consecutive years, a rate that is not

25 greater than the rate contained in the most re-
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1 cent statement submitted by the State under

2 paragraph (1) which did not trigger the applica3 tion of paragraph (2).

4 ‘‘(5) METHODOLOGY.—The Secretary shall pro5 mulgate regulations establishing the methodology by

6 which a State shall determine the child poverty rate

7 within such State. Such methodology shall, with re8 spect to a State, take into account factors including

9 the number of children who receive free or reduced10 price lunches, the number of food stamp households,

11 and the county by county estimates of children in

12 poverty as determined by the Census Bureau.’’.

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