2015 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 17b - Social Services
Chapter 319s - Financial Assistance
Section 17b-106 - (Formerly Sec. 17-12f). State supplement to Supplemental Security Income Program. Unearned income disregard. Adult payment standards. State supplement payments for certain residents in long-term care facilities.

(a) On January 1, 2006, and on each January first thereafter, the Commissioner of Social Services shall increase the unearned income disregard for recipients of the state supplement to the federal Supplemental Security Income Program by an amount equal to the federal cost-of-living adjustment, if any, provided to recipients of federal Supplemental Security Income Program benefits for the corresponding calendar year. On July 1, 1989, and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall increase the adult payment standards over those of the previous fiscal year for the state supplement to the federal Supplemental Security Income Program by the percentage increase, if any, in the most recent calendar year average in the consumer price index for urban consumers over the average for the previous calendar year, provided the annual increase, if any, shall not exceed five per cent, except that the adult payment standards for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1993, June 30, 1994, June 30, 1995, June 30, 1996, June 30, 1997, June 30, 1998, June 30, 1999, June 30, 2000, June 30, 2001, June 30, 2002, June 30, 2003, June 30, 2004, June 30, 2005, June 30, 2006, June 30, 2007, June 30, 2008, June 30, 2009, June 30, 2010, June 30, 2011, June 30, 2012, June 30, 2013, June 30, 2016, and June 30, 2017, shall not be increased. Effective October 1, 1991, the coverage of excess utility costs for recipients of the state supplement to the federal Supplemental Security Income Program is eliminated. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the commissioner may increase the personal needs allowance component of the adult payment standard as necessary to meet federal maintenance of effort requirements.

(b) Effective July 1, 2011, the commissioner shall provide a state supplement payment for recipients of Medicaid and the federal Supplemental Security Income Program who reside in long-term care facilities sufficient to increase their personal needs allowance to sixty dollars per month. Such state supplement payment shall be made to the long-term care facility to be deposited into the personal fund account of each such recipient. For the purposes of this subsection, “long-term care facility” means a licensed chronic and convalescent nursing home, a chronic disease hospital, a rest home with nursing supervision, an intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities or a state humane institution.

(P.A. 78-192, S. 1, 2, 7; P.A. 80-385, S. 2, 3; P.A. 81-449, S. 2, 5, 11; P.A. 82-91, S. 7, 38; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-8, S. 2, 3; P.A. 84-470, S. 2, 4; P.A. 85-367, S. 3, 5; 85-505, S. 18, 21; P.A. 89-296, S. 5, 9; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-8, S. 2, 63; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-16, S. 3, 89; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; 93-418, S. 4, 41; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 32, 53; July 13 Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 3, 9; P.A. 95-351, S. 13, 30; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 49, 165; P.A. 98-239, S. 4, 35; P.A. 99-279, S. 7, 45; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2, S. 56, 69; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9, S. 129, 131; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3, S. 61; P.A. 05-243, S. 1; 05-280, S. 38; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-2, S. 3; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-5, S. 37; P.A. 11-44, S. 78; P.A. 13-139, S. 4; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5, S. 376.)

History: P.A. 80-385 reduced rate of increase from 10% to 7% for fiscal year ending June 30, 1980, and added proviso re disregards; P.A. 81-449 increased the payment standards by 5% over the standards for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1981, replacing previous 7% increase and deleted reference to the Connecticut Assistance and Medical Aid Program for the Disabled; P.A. 82-91 amended section to increase the payment standards by 3% over the standards for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1982, replacing previous year’s reference to 5% increase in payment standards over the standards for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1981; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-8 changed the date from “June 30, 1982” to “June 30, 1983”; P.A. 84-470 provided for an increase in the adult payment standards on July 1, 1984, based on the percentage increase in the “most recent calendar year average to average consumer price index for urban consumers for the U.S. city average over the standard for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1984”; P.A. 85-367 replaced previous provisions re increase in adult payment standards for fiscal year 1984-1985 with new provisions applicable to fiscal year 1985-1986; P.A. 85-505 replaced prior provisions re increase in adult payment standards with new provisions for increases in 1986, 1987 and 1988 and for the first time imposed a cap on increases; P.A. 89-296 deleted obsolete date references; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-8 required a reduction in the unearned income disregard for recipients of the state supplement to the federal supplemental security income, placed a hold on the adult payment standards for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1992, held the general assistance maximum shelter payment levels to the federal maximums, except that for the payments already being made reductions are to be suspended for six months, eliminated the provision for excess utility costs for recipients of state supplement and redefined “single room occupancy”; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-16 changed the amount by which the commissioner shall reduce the unearned income disregard to up to 9.5%, eliminated the increase in the standard of need for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1993, and deleted provisions re maximum payment levels for shelter and consideration of single room occupancies under the general assistance program; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of income maintenance, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-418 eliminated the increase in the adult payment standard for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1994, and June 30, 1995, effective July 1, 1993; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1 deleted provision directing commissioner to reduce unearned income disregard by up to 9.5%, effective July 1, 1992, and substituted provision directing commissioner to reduce disregard by 7%, effective July 1, 1994; July 13 Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1 added provision directing commissioner to increase unearned income disregard to a level not exceeding that in effect on July 30, 1994, if sufficient funds are available within department and are transferred to appropriate accounts, effective July 15, 1994; Sec. 17-12f transferred to Sec. 17b-106 in 1995; P.A. 95-351 provided that the adult payment standards shall not increase in the fiscal years ending June 30, 1996, and June 30, 1997, effective July 1, 1995; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 provided the adult payment standards shall not increase in the fiscal years ending June 30, 1998, and June 30, 1999, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 98-239 divided the Sec. into two Subsecs., inserting new provisions as Subsec. (b), requiring the Commissioner of Social Services to provide a state supplement payment for recipients of Medicaid and the federal supplemental security income program who reside in long-term care facilities sufficient to increase their personal needs allowance to $50 per month, specifying where such payment shall be deposited, providing for an increase in such allowance effective July 1, 1999, and annually thereafter, and defining “long-term care facility”, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 99-279 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that the adult payment standards shall not increase in the fiscal years ending June 30, 2000, and June 30, 2001, effective July 1, 1999; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that the adult payment standards shall not increase in the fiscal years ending June 30, 2002, and June 30, 2003, effective July 1, 2001; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9 revised effective date of June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2 but without affecting this section; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that adult payment standards shall not be increased for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2004, and June 30, 2005, and to add provision authorizing commissioner to increase the personal needs allowance component of the adult payment standard as needed to meet federal maintenance of effort requirements, effective August 20, 2003; P.A. 05-243 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting provision re 1985 payment standards, deleting 1994 provision that required commissioner to reduce the appropriate unearned income disregard for program recipients by 7% and adding provision requiring commissioner to increase the unearned income disregard for program recipients by an amount equal to the federal cost-of-living adjustment, if any, provided to recipients of federal Supplemental Security Income Program benefits for the corresponding calendar year, and made technical changes in Subsecs. (a) and (b), effective July 8, 2005; P.A. 05-280 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that adult payment standards shall not be increased for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2006, and June 30, 2007, effective July 1, 2005; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-2 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that adult payment standards shall not be increased for fiscal years ending June 30, 2008, and June 30, 2009, effective July 1, 2007; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-5 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that adult payment standards shall not be increased for fiscal years ending June 30, 2010, and June 30, 2011, effective October 5, 2009; P.A. 11-44 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that adult payment standards shall not be increased for fiscal years ending June 30, 2012, and June 30, 2013, and amended Subsec. (b) by changing date from July 1, 1998, to July 1, 2011, increasing personal needs allowance from $50 to $60 per month and deleting provision re annual allowance increase, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 13-139 amended Subsec. (b) by substituting “individuals with intellectual disabilities” for “the mentally retarded”; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5 amended Subsec. (a) to add “June 30, 2016, and June 30, 2017,”, effective July 1, 2015.