SB 44 - This act creates the Community Partnership Program for the purpose of addressing poverty issues and promoting local participation and volunteerism.

Qualified individuals participating in the program must enter into a standard contractual agreement with the community partnership in order to receive services. The Division of Family Services must notify qualified individuals of community partnerships in their areas and provide a hotline for individual complaints.

Community partnerships may charge fees of participants and may impose additional requirements on participants. A participant's public assistance may also be supplemented with cash grants or services. Any qualified individual who fails to meet the requirements of the contract with the community partnership will forfeit the amount of assistance provided by the partnership. After the contract terminates, the qualified individual will be deemed a "nonparticipant" for a period of thirty days, after which the individual may renew the contract.

Private donations may be solicited and given to community partnerships and taxpayers may receive a tax credit equal to fifty percent of their donations. If the tax credit exceeds the taxpayer's tax liability, the credit may be carried over. This credit will be available beginning January 1, 2000.

This act establishes the Community Partnership Fund to provide public assistance to qualified individuals who participate. Moneys shall be appropriated to the fund that are at least equal to the public assistance that such individuals would otherwise receive plus an amount at least equal to ten percent of the total amount transferred or the amount of savings resulting from implementation of the program. Excess moneys shall be invested by the State Treasurer in the same manner as other surplus funds. Interest, dividends, and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to the Community Partnership Program Fund.

This act creates the "Community Partnership Advisory Council" to make recommendations to the Division on ways to improve and expand the program. The council shall be composed of seven members. Members shall serve four-year terms or until their successor is duly appointed and qualified. The council shall meet twice yearly to review activities of the program and to present recommendations in writing to the governor and the general assembly as requested or as necessary. Four members shall constitute a quorum.
ERIN MOTLEY