House bill NO. 909

INTRODUCED BY E. Stafman

By Request of the ****

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE HOUSING STABILITY SERVICES PROGRAM; REQUIRING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO APPLY FOR A MEDICAID WAIVER TO FUND THE PROGRAM; Providing rulemaking authority; ESTABLISHING REPORTING REQUIREMENTS; PROVIDING AN APPROPRIATION; and PROVIDING EFFECTIVE DATES and a contingent effective date."

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

NEW SECTION. Section 1. Housing stability services program -- eligibility -- rulemaking authority -- report. (1) There is a housing stability services program within the department of public health and human services. The program must provide services that include:

(a)        assistance finding and applying for available housing;

(b)        help filing reasonable accommodation requests;

(c)        financial literacy, including credit repair and budgeting;

(d)        education on the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords;

(e)        ensuring that housing is safe and ready for move-in;

(f)         facilitating connections with appropriate government and nongovernment service programs;

(g)        assistance with housing voucher or subsidy applications and recertification processes; and

(h)        any other services that remove barriers to housing stability.

(2)        To be eligible for this program, an individual must:

(a)        be enrolled in a medicaid program provided for in Title 53, chapter 6; and

(b)        be at risk for experiencing homelessness, as demonstrated by:

(i)         having a past-due rent notice or eviction notice for the person's current residence;

(ii)         having a past-due utility bill or utility shut off notice for the person's current residence;

(iii)        having unsafe or unhealthy living conditions, including overcrowding and domestic abuse;

(iv)        being involved in the criminal justice system as an offender or alleged offender within the last 12 months; or

(v)        other circumstances as defined by the department by rule.

(3)        The department shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section.

(4)        The department shall report to the children, families, health, and human services interim committee and the law and justice interim committee, in accordance with 5-11-210, by September 1 of each year on:

(a)        the number of individuals served by the program;

(b)        the cost of the program; and

(c)        the effectiveness of the program, including cost savings and benefits and any reduction in homelessness and recidivism in the population served by the program.

NEW SECTION. Section 2. Appropriation. The following amounts are appropriated to the department of public health and human services:

                                                Fiscal Year 2024            Fiscal Year 2025

General Fund                            $19,012                         $173,058

Federal Special Revenue           $19,012                         $572,948

NEW SECTION. Section 3. Direction to department of public health and human services. The legislature directs the department of public health and human services to apply to the centers for medicare and medicaid services as soon as practicable and no later than January 1, 2024, for a medicaid waiver to provide, to the extent allowable, the services identified in [section 1(1)] to individuals who are eligible for the program but do not have coverage for the services under another medicaid waiver or the medical assistance program provided for in Title 53, chapter 6.

NEW SECTION. Section 4. Codification instruction. [Section 1] is intended to be codified as an integral part of Title 53, chapter 6, part 1, and the provisions of Title 53, chapter 6, part 1, apply to [section 1].

NEW SECTION. Section 5. Effective dates -- contingent effective date. (1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3), [this act] is effective on passage and approval.

(2)        [Section 2] is effective July 1, 2023.

(3)        [Section 1] is effective on the date that the director of the department of public health and human services certifies to the code commissioner that the centers for medicare and medicaid services approved the department's application for a waiver or state plan amendment to implement the program. The director shall submit certification within 10 days of the occurrence of the contingency.