Appendix A1 Legal Authority Public Law, 115-334

Appendix A1

Public Law, 115-334

Public Law 115-334, The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018

SEC. 4014. EVALUATION OF CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT COOPERATION REQUIREMENTS. Section 17 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2026) is amended by adding at the end the following: H. R. 2—155 ‘‘(m) EVALUATION OF CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT COOPERATION REQUIREMENTS.— ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall conduct an independent evaluation of a representative sample of States— ‘‘(A) to assess the implementation and impact of the eligibility requirements described in subsections (l) through (n) of section 6 in States that have formerly implemented or continue to implement those requirements, and the feasibility of implementing those requirements in other States; ‘‘(B) to assess the factors that contributed to the decision of States that formerly implemented the eligibility requirements described in each of subsections (l) through (n) of section 6 to cease such implementation; ‘‘(C) to review alternatives to the eligibility requirements described in each of subsections (l) through (n) of section 6 that are used by other States to assist participants in the supplemental nutrition assistance program to make or receive child support payments and the effectiveness of those alternatives; and ‘‘(D) to evaluate the costs and benefits to households and to State agencies, of requiring State agencies to implement each of the eligibility requirements described in subsections (l) through (n) of section 6. ‘‘(2) EVALUATION.—The evaluation under paragraph (1) shall include, to the maximum extent practicable, an assessment of— ‘‘(A) the manner in which applicable State agencies implement and enforce the eligibility requirements described in subparagraph (A) of such paragraph, including— ‘‘(i) the procedures used by each State to determine cooperation, to sanction participants for failure to cooperate, and to determine good cause for noncooperation under each of subsections (l) through (n) of section 6; and ‘‘(ii) the manner in which each State aligns the procedures for implementing those eligibility requirements with procedures for implementing other Federal programs that require cooperation with child support enforcement, including the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance for needy families established under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), the Medicaid program under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.), and programs carried out under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9857 et seq.); ‘‘(B) the Federal, State, and local costs associated with implementing those eligibility requirements, including costs incurred under this Act and by child support enforcement agencies for personnel, technology upgrades, and other costs; ‘‘(C) the effect of those eligibility requirements on the establishment of new child support orders, the establishment of paternity, changes in child support payments to H. R. 2—156 custodial households, and changes in arrears owed on child support orders; ‘‘(D) with respect to the eligibility requirements under each of subsections (l) through (n) of section 6— ‘‘(i) the number of individuals subject to those requirements; ‘‘(ii) the number of individuals in each State who meet those requirements; and ‘‘(iii) the number of individuals in each State who fail to meet those requirements; ‘‘(E) the number of individuals in each State for whom good cause for noncooperation has been found under section 6(l)(2); ‘‘(F) the impact of those eligibility requirements on the supplemental nutrition assistance program eligibility, benefit levels, food security, income, and economic stability of— ‘‘(i) individuals subject to those requirements; ‘‘(ii) the household members of those individuals, including children; and ‘‘(iii) households with nontraditional family structures, including a household in which a grandparent is the primary caretaker of a grandchild of the grandparent. ‘‘(3) STATE AGENCY COOPERATION.—Each State agency selected under paragraph (1) shall provide information to the Secretary necessary to conduct the evaluation under such paragraph. ‘‘(4) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report describing the findings from the evaluation conducted under paragraph (1).’’