§ 2103. Eligibility

(a) Consistent with available appropriations, the Department for Children and Families shall furnish General Assistance under this chapter, except as provided below, to any otherwise eligible individual unable to provide the necessities of life for the individual and for those whom he or she is legally obligated to support. Except for those in catastrophic situations as defined in regulations, no General Assistance shall be provided in the following situations:

(1) to any individual whose income from any source, including the Department for Children and Families, during the 30 days immediately preceding the date on which assistance is sought is equal to the General Assistance eligibility standard;

(2) to any able-bodied individual without minor dependents included in his or her application.

(b) Eligibility standards for General Assistance as established by the Commissioner need not be the same as those applicable to the Department's categorical assistance programs. In addition, in determining eligibility, the Commissioner, pursuant to regulation, may take into account payment to or for the benefit of the applicant under any Department program.

(c) It is further provided that in determining eligibility apart from the need standard, the Commissioner may promulgate a reasonable standard pertaining to work-related efforts on the part of the applicant.

(d) Except for relief as provided in sections 2109-2112 of this chapter, General Assistance to transients shall be limited to that necessary to permit the transient to leave the State.

(e) As used in this section, "able-bodied individual" does not include a person subject to such conditions as are determined, by regulation of the Commissioner for Children and Families, to constitute barriers to employment.

[Subsection (f) repealed effective July 1, 2018.]

(f) An eligible participant for temporary housing shall not be required to furnish more than 30 percent of his or her income toward the cost of temporary housing. The Secretary of Human Services may adopt rules as necessary, pursuant to 3 V.S.A. chapter 25, to implement this subsection. On or before March 1, 2017, the Secretary of Human Services shall submit data to the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare and the House Committee on Human Services regarding the impact of this policy on the program and its participants. (Added 1967, No. 147, § 7, eff. Oct. 1, 1968; amended 1973, No. 152 (Adj. Sess.), § 25, eff. April 14, 1974; 1973, No. 207 (Adj. Sess.), § 3; 1975, No. 132 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Feb. 5, 1976; 1999, No. 147 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; 2005, No. 174 (Adj. Sess.), § 107; 2013, No. 133 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. May 20, 2014.)