HB0047 • 2021

Department of family services indigent burial program.

AN ACT relating to public assistance and social services; subjecting the provision of indigent burial and cremation expenses paid by the department of family services to the availability of funds; and providing for an effective date.

Budget

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor: Appropriations
Last action: 2021-03-22
Official status: inactive
Effective date: 3/1/2021

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the payment amount limit and exclusion of certain trusts from available funds.

Indigent Burial Program Funding

This act changes how the Department of Family Services pays for burial and cremation expenses for people who can't afford them, making it dependent on available funds.

What This Bill Does

Changes when the Department of Family Services will pay for burials or cremations for people without enough money to cover these costs, subjecting such payments to the availability of funds.

Who It Names or Affects

People who receive aid under the POWER program, Supplemental Security Income, or Medicaid and cannot afford their own burials or cremations.
The Department of Family Services which will now have to consider if there are enough funds before paying for these expenses.

Terms To Know

POWER Program: A program that provides financial assistance and support services to help people become self-sufficient.
Medicaid Qualifying Trust: A trust set up for Medicaid eligibility purposes, which can hold funds without affecting a person's qualification for Medicaid benefits.

Limits and Unknowns

The act did not pass and was never signed into law.
It only applies if there are enough funds available to the Department of Family Services.

Bill History

2021-03-22 House
H COW:H Did not consider for COW
2021-01-27 House
H Placed on General File
2021-01-27 House
H02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 7-0-0-0-0
2021-01-12 House
H Introduced and Referred to H02 - Appropriations
2021-01-12 House
H Received for Introduction
2021-01-08 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

21LSO-0235
2021
STATE OF WYOMING
21LSO-0235
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0047

Department of family services indigent burial program.

Sponsored by: Joint Appropriations Committee

A BILL

for

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.

W.S. 42
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2
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103(c) is amended to read:

42
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2
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103.

Provision of assistance and services; duties of department; burial assistance; department of health state supplemental security income program.

(c)

Notwithstanding any other provision of this article
and subject to the availability of funds
, the department shall pay the burial or cremation expenses of
any recipient of aid under the personal opportunities with employment responsibilities (POWER) program, supplemental security income or Medicaid at the time of his death and without sufficient means in his own estate or other resources to provide burial or cremation. The amount paid under this subsection shall not exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) after consideration of funds available to the recipient from all other sources. In determining eligibility under this subsection, the department shall not consider as available funds, an amount up to or equal to one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500.00) of the corpus of a Medicaid qualifying trust meeting the requirements of W.S. 42
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4
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113. No board of county commissioners shall be responsible for any burial or cremation expenses in excess of the amount paid under this subsection. Burial or cremation expenses under this subsection shall not include those expenses relating to cemetery costs.

Section 2.

This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

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