1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to human services; extending the time for 
  1.3             emergency assistance; amending Minnesota Statutes 
  1.4             2000, section 256J.48, subdivision 1.  
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 256J.48, 
  1.7   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  [EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.] County 
  1.9   human service agencies shall grant emergency financial 
  1.10  assistance to any needy pregnant woman or needy family with a 
  1.11  child under the age of 21 who is or was within six months prior 
  1.12  to application living with an eligible caregiver relative 
  1.13  specified in section 256J.08. 
  1.14     Except for ongoing special diets, emergency assistance is 
  1.15  available to a family during one 30-day period in for up to 120 
  1.16  days per episode of need and up to twice within a consecutive 
  1.17  12-month period.  A county shall issue assistance for needs that 
  1.18  accrue before that 30-day period an episode of need only when it 
  1.19  is necessary to resolve emergencies arising or continuing during 
  1.20  the 30-day period of eligibility the episode of need.  When 
  1.21  emergency needs continue, a county may issue assistance for up 
  1.22  to 30 days beyond the initial 30-day period of eligibility, but 
  1.23  only when assistance is authorized during the initial period.