I 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5843 

To amend title IV–A of the Social Security Act, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 16, 2018 

Mr. SMITH of Missouri (for himself and Mr. SMITH of Nebraska) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 

A BILL 

To amend title IV–A of the Social Security Act, and for 

other purposes. 

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as ‘‘The Benefits to Employ5 ment Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. EXPECTING UNIVERSAL ENGAGEMENT AND CASE 

7 MANAGEMENT. 

8 Section 408(b) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 

9 608(b)) is amended to read as follows: 

10 ‘‘(b) INDIVIDUAL OPPORTUNITY PLANS.— 


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1 ‘‘(1) ASSESSMENT.—The State agency respon2 sible for administering the State program funded 

3 under this part shall make an initial assessment of 

4 the following for each recipient of assistance who is 

5 required to be engaged in work pursuant to section 

6 407(c): 

7 ‘‘(A) The education obtained, skills, prior 

8 work experience, work readiness, and barriers 

9 to work of the individual. 

10 ‘‘(B) The well-being of the children in the 

11 family of the individual and, where appropriate, 

12 activities or services (such as services offered by 

13 a program funded under section 511) to im14 prove the well-being of the children. 

15 ‘‘(2) CONTENTS OF PLANS.—On the basis of 

16 the assessment required by paragraph (1) of this 

17 subsection, the State agency, in consultation with 

18 the individual, shall develop an individual oppor19 tunity plan that— 

20 ‘‘(A) includes a personal responsibility 

21 agreement in which the individual acknowledges 

22 receipt of publicly-funded benefits and responsi23 bility to comply with program requirements in 

24 order to receive the benefits; 


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1 ‘‘(B) sets forth the obligations of the indi2 vidual to participate in work activities, and the 

3 number of hours per month for which the indi4 vidual will so participate pursuant to section 

5 407(c); 

6 ‘‘(C) sets forth an employment goal and 

7 planned short-, intermediate-, and long-term ac8 tions to achieve the goal, and, in the case of an 

9 individual who has not attained 24 years of age 

10 and is in secondary school or the equivalent, the 

11 intermediate action may be completion of sec12 ondary school or the equivalent; 

13 ‘‘(D) describes the job counseling and 

14 other services the State will provide to the indi15 vidual to enable the individual to obtain and 

16 keep employment in the private sector; 

17 ‘‘(E) may include referral to appropriate 

18 substance abuse or mental health treatment; 

19 and 

20 ‘‘(F) is signed by the individual. 

21 ‘‘(3) TIMING.—The State agency shall comply 

22 with paragraph (1) and (2) with respect to a work23 eligible individual— 

24 ‘‘(A) within 180 days after the effective 

25 date of this subsection, in the case of an indiVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:04 May 31, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5843.IH H5843

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1 vidual who, as of such effective date, is a recipi2 ent of assistance under the State program fund3 ed under this part (as in effect immediately be4 fore such effective date); or 

5 ‘‘(B) within 60 days after the individual is 

6 determined to be eligible for the assistance, in 

7 the case of any other individual. 

8 ‘‘(4) PENALTY FOR NONCOMPLIANCE BY INDI9 VIDUAL.—In addition to any other penalties required 

10 under the State program funded under this part, the 

11 State may reduce, by such amount as the State con12 siders appropriate, the amount of assistance other13 wise payable under the State program to a family 

14 that includes an individual who fails without good 

15 cause to comply with an individual opportunity plan 

16 developed pursuant to this subsection, that is signed 

17 by the individual. 

18 ‘‘(5) PERIODIC REVIEW.—The State shall meet 

19 with each work-eligible individual assessed by the 

20 State under paragraph (1), not less frequently than 

21 every 90 days, to— 

22 ‘‘(A) review the individual opportunity plan 

23 developed for the individual; 


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1 ‘‘(B) discuss with the individual the 

2 progress made by the individual in achieving 

3 the goals specified in the plan; and 

4 ‘‘(C) update the plan, as necessary, to re5 flect any changes in the circumstances of the 

6 individual since the plan was last reviewed. 

7 ‘‘(6) STATE DISCRETION.—A State shall have 

8 sole discretion, consistent with section 407, to define 

9 and design activities for families for purposes of this 

10 subsection, to develop methods for monitoring and 

11 reviewing progress pursuant to this subsection, and 

12 to make modifications to the plans developed pursu13 ant to this subsection as the State deems appro14 priate to assist families in increasing their degree of 

15 self-sufficiency.’’. 

16 SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

17 The amendment made by this Act shall take effect 

18 on October 1, 2018. 

Æ 


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