(1) Emergency assistance. (a) (I) A general assistance fund is hereby established that shall consist of state general funds appropriated thereto by the general assembly. Moneys in the fund shall be used only for the purpose of providing emergency assistance pursuant to the provisions of this subsection (1) and shall be subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly.
(II) The state department shall allocate moneys in the fund described in subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (a) to the counties for the implementation of the emergency assistance program pursuant to the provisions of this subsection (1) and rules of the state department.
(b) The state department shall promulgate rules for the delivery of emergency assistance to a person who:
Is a legal immigrant and a resident of the state of Colorado;
Is not a citizen of the United States; and
Meets the eligibility requirements for public assistance under this article other thancitizen status and is not receiving any other public assistance under this article.
(c) Such emergency assistance may include but need not be limited to the following forms of assistance:
Housing;
Food;
Short-term cash assistance; and
Clothing and social services for children.
(2) Sponsor responsibility policies. (a) The general assembly finds and declares that sponsors shall be expected to meet their moral and financial commitments to the immigrants whom they sponsor and for whom they sign affidavits of support.
The state department shall promulgate rules consistent with this section and federallaw to enforce sponsor commitments for noncitizen applicants for or recipients of public assistance or medical assistance.
Enforcement mechanisms shall include but not be limited to the following:
Income assignment;
State income tax refund offset;
State lottery winnings offset; and(IV) Administrative lien and attachment.
A recipient shall assign rights to any support under affidavits of support to the stateof Colorado as a condition of receipt of public assistance or medical assistance under this title.
To the extent not preempted by federal law, the state department shall commence aproceeding or an action to enforce duties under an affidavit of support within a period of time to be determined by the state board after a recipient for whom an affidavit of support has been signed has been approved for public assistance or medical assistance under this title.
Source: L. 97: Entire section added, p. 1252, § 3, effective July 1.