Northern Marianas Family Assistance Act

To make the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands eligible for the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance for needy families, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Northern Marianas Family Assistance Act 2. Eligibility of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for the TANF program (a) In general Section 419(5) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 619(5) and American Samoa American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (b) Family assistance grant (1) In general Section 403(a)(1)(B) of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 603(a)(1)(B) (A) by striking specified in in effect for purposes of (B) by adding at the end the following: Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the State family assistance grant for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for each fiscal year shall be the lesser of the amount that equals 80 percent of the total expenditures of the Commonwealth under the Commonwealth program funded under this part in the fiscal year, or the mandatory ceiling amount (as defined in section 1108) with respect to Guam. (2) Appropriation Section 403(a)(1)(C) of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 603(a)(1)(C) The dollar amount in effect under this subparagraph for a fiscal year shall be the amount specified in the preceding sentence increased by the mandatory ceiling amount (as defined in section 1108) with respect to Guam, and an amount equal to that increase shall be reserved for a grant under this paragraph to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. (c) Eligibility for the Contingency Fund (1) In general Effective on October 1 of the 5th fiscal year immediately following the 1st fiscal year referred to in subsection (g): (A) Eligibility Section 403(b)(7) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 603(b)(7) States and the District of Columbia States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (B) Exclusion from limitation on payments to the territories Section 1108(a)(2) of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1308(a)(2) , or any payment made to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands under section 403(b) (2) Development of needy State criteria As soon as is practicable but not later than the date paragraph (1) of this subsection takes effect, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall work with the Government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to develop the criteria to be used in determining whether, on or after such date, the Commonwealth is a needy State for purposes of section 403(b) of the Social Security Act, which shall not include the criteria used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in determining unemployment or the caseload criteria used in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. (d) Inapplicability of certain requirements and prohibition (1) State plan requirements relating to operation of child support enforcement and foster care and adoption assistance programs Section 402(a) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 602(a) The preceding sentence shall not apply with respect to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. (2) Mandatory work requirements Sections 407 and 409(a)(3) of such Act shall not apply to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. (3) Ban on assistance for families not assigning certain support rights to the State Section 408(a)(3) of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 608(a)(3) The preceding sentence shall not apply with respect to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. (4) Maintenance of effort requirement Section 409(a)(7) of such Act shall not apply to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. (e) Assessment of work, employment, and training program The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall seek to negotiate an agreement with the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands under which the performance of the work, employment, and training program of the Commonwealth will be assessed. (f) Transition provisions With respect to each of the 4 fiscal years immediately following the 1st fiscal year referred to in subsection (g) of this section: (1) Exemption from limitation on use of grant for administrative expenditures Section 404(b) of the Social Security Act shall not apply to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. (2) Inapplicability of penalty for failure of state receiving amounts from contingency fund to maintain 100 Section 409(a)(10) of such Act shall not apply to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. (g) Technical assistance Not later than October 1 of the 1st fiscal year that begins after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall provide the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands with technical assistance in developing a plan to meet the requirements of section 402 of the Social Security Act. (h) Effective date Except as provided in subsection (c), the amendments made by this section shall take effect on October 1 of the 2nd fiscal year that begins after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Summary: Northern Marianas Family Assistance Act This bill expands eligibility for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to include the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). It also makes certain TANF provisions, including those related to child support enforcement and mandatory work requirements, inapplicable to that territory. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services must provide technical assistance to the CNMI on developing a plan to use its TANF funds; and seek to negotiate an agreement with the CNMI that sets out how the territory's work, employment, and training programs will be assessed.