Lead Sponsors: Representative Josh Williams and Representative Dontavious Jarrells
Status: Introduced (April 1, 2025)
Description: The bill creates a three-year pilot benefit bridge program called the Actionable Help and New Dignity for Upward Progression (A HAND UP) in the Department of Job and Family Services' budget. The pilot program will operate in four counties selected by the Department and will assist participants in transitioning into the workforce as they become ineligible for public assistance benefits. The counties must include one metropolitan county, one midsize county, and two rural counties, one of which must be in the Appalachian region.
The bill appropriates $10 million in each fiscal year for the program.
CCAO Position: No position (as of April 2025)