TANF-ACF-IM-2000-06 (Publication of Federal Register Notice Making Technical and Conforming Corrections to Rules for the TANF High Performance Bonus and Welfare-to Work (WtW) Data Collection)

Publication Date: December 6, 2000
Current as of:

To:

State agencies administering the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program and other interested parties.

Subject:

Publication of Federal Register Notice Making Technical and Conforming Corrections to Rules for the TANF High Performance Bonus and Welfare-to Work (WtW) Data Collection.

Purpose:

To inform State agencies and other interested parties of the Federal Register notice published on December 4, 2000 (65 FR 75632).

References:

Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-193); Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (Pub. L. 105-33); Title VIII of H.R. 3424, the Welfare to Work and Child Support Amendments of 1999 (Consolidated Omnibus Appropriations Act for FY 2000, Pub. L. 106-113); Interim Final Rules on Welfare-to-Work Data Collection, 45 CFR Part 276 (63 FR 57919); Bonus to Reward States for High Performance under the TANF Program, Final Rule, 45 CFR Part 270 (65 FR 52814); Final Rules to Correct TANF High Performance Bonus Rule (45 CFR Part 270) and Remove Interim Final Rules on Welfare-to-Work Data Collection (45 CFR Part 276), 65 FR 75632.

Background:

Under section 403(a)(4) of the Social Security Act, as amended by PRWORA, the Secretary must establish a formula for measuring State performance that will be used for distributing the TANF High Performance Bonus funds.  On August 30, 2000 (65 FR 52814), ACF published final rules that establish the formula for awarding the FY 2002 and 2003 bonuses.  Subsequent to that publication, we noted a couple of minor errors in the regulatory text and preamble language.  The December 4 notice makes these corrections.

The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 created the Welfare-to-Work program (WtW) under section 403(a)(5) of the Social Security Act.  It also established requirements for reporting on the characteristics of WtW participants under section 411 of the Act.  While the Department of Labor had overall responsibility for administering the WtW program, HHS was responsible for the data collection rules under section 411 of the Act.  On October 29, 1998 (63 FR 57919), ACF issued interim final rules to The Consolidated Omnibus Appropriations Act (Pub. L. 106-113), incorporating section 804 of H.R. 3424, revised the data collection requirements for the WtW program.  It removed the WtW participant reporting requirements from section 411 of the Act and shifted responsibility for WtW data collection solely to the Department of Labor.  Because of these changes, the interim final rules published by ACF became obsolete.  Thus, the December 4, 2000, notice removes these rules from the Code of Federal Regulations.  cover the WtW participant reporting requirements.

Policy:

Please note the changes made by this Federal Register notice.  You may find the document online at both the OFA and OPRE Web sites.

Inquiries:

Inquiries should be directed to the appropriate Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Regional Administrator.

/s/

Alvin C. Collins, Director
Office of Family Assistance