Bill > HB1279

This bill seeks to improve data collection and reporting for Colorado's Works Program (which uses Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or TANF funds) by requiring counties to collect and report detailed financial and program information monthly starting October 1, 2025. Counties will need to track specific spending categories, including basic cash assistance, diversion payments, supportive services, administrative costs, and transfers to other programs. The bill mandates that the state department develop a standardized reporting process in consultation with the Works Allocation Committee and stakeholders, including the Family Voice Council. Additionally, the bill requires the state to develop recommendations for standardized outcome measures for third-party contracted services and their effectiveness. Starting January 2026, the state must submit annual reports to the Joint Budget Committee detailing the collected information and publish this data on a publicly accessible website. The bill also requires a report by July 1, 2026, comparing Colorado's basic cash assistance eligibility to other states and proposing an updated standard of need that could reduce child poverty and promote economic mobility. To support these efforts, the bill includes a $154,000 appropriation from federal TANF block grant funds for program evaluation in the 2025-26 fiscal year.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb25-1279