Appropriates $168,949,700 for the Welfare Division in the Department of Health and Welfare for fiscal year 2017; limits the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions to 635.55; provides for transfers to the Cooperative Welfare Fund; directs expenditures for trustee and benefit payments; provides legislative intent for program integrity; and requires biannual forecast reports.

This is the fiscal year 2017 appropriation for the Department of Health and Welfare for the Welfare Division. It includes $40,798,000 from the General Fund, $6,928,100 from dedicated funds, and $121,223,600 from federal funds for a total of $168,949,700 and 635.55 FTP. There are three sections of department-wide intent language and one section requiring for biannual report submission on the actual and forecasted caseloads for various welfare programs. The bill includes standard budget adjustments for employee benefit costs, statewide cost allocation, 27th payroll and the 3% merit-based CEC to be distributed at the discretion of the director. This bill also includes the annualized funding for the implementation of multi-day issuance of food stamps and caseload growth for the Aid to Aged Blind and Disabled Program (AABD). There are four line items. The first line item provides one-time funding to migrate and modernize the child support enforcement system. The second line item provides ongoing funding for maintenance of the benefits eligibility system (IBES). The third line item provides ongoing funding to increase the subsidy for child care support and provides additional funding for increased caseload. The fourth line item provides one-time funding to migrate and modernize the Child Care Program automation system.