SENATE BILL 107

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2006

INTRODUCED BY

Steve Komadina

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC ASSISTANCE; EXPANDING THE EDUCATION WORKS PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY; AMENDING A SECTION OF THE NMSA 1978.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. Section 27-2D-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003, Chapter 317, Section 4, as amended) is amended to read:

     "27-2D-4. EDUCATION WORKS PROGRAM--ELIGIBILITY-- RESTRICTIONS--REQUIREMENTS.--

          A. A person is eligible to receive education works services or cash assistance if the person demonstrates that:

                (1) [at the time of the application, the person does not have a bachelor's degree;

                (2)] the person has been accepted or has been determined to be eligible to enroll in a two- or four-year post-secondary or graduate or post-graduate degree program; and

                [(3)] (2) the degree the person will receive will increase [his] the person's ability to engage in full-time paid employment.

          B. A recipient shall not receive cash assistance funded by the temporary assistance for needy families block grant during the period in which the recipient is receiving cash assistance pursuant to the Education Works Act.

          C. A recipient shall apply for all financial aid available from the post-secondary, graduate or post-graduate educational institution that the recipient attends.

          D. During the twenty-four months of participation in the education works program, a recipient shall engage in at least twenty hours per week of class time, studying, work, work-study or volunteering. The department shall assume that a recipient spends one and one-half hours studying for every hour of class time.

          E. A recipient may participate in the education works program for no more than twenty-four months, except that a recipient may participate in the education works program for one additional academic term following the twenty-four-month participation limit, or for two additional academic terms following the twenty-four-month participation limit at the discretion of the director, if doing so will result in the recipient earning a degree.

          F. The number of recipients enrolled in the education works program is limited to the number of recipients who can be served by the funds available.

          G. [A recipient may earn only one degree through the education works program.

          H.] For purposes of this section, "work" means work- study, training-related practicums, internships, paid employment, volunteering or any other activity approved by the department."

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