SB 52 — CHILDREN/FAMILY SERVICES DEPT: Provides relative to public assistance benefits for children. (8/1/26) (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

SLS 26RS-236 RE-REENGROSSED Regular Session ENROLLED SENATE BILL NO.

52 BY SENATOR CATHEY CHILDREN/FAMILYSERVICESDEPT.ProvidesrelativetopublicassistancebenefitsforAND children.REPRESENTATIVES AMEDEE, MIKE JOHNSON, TAYLOR AND YOUNG AN ACT To enact R.S.

(8/1/26) AN ACT To enact R.S.

Page* 1* of* 4Section Coding:2.

Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;

words in boldface type and underscored are additions.

SLS 26RS-236 RE-REENGROSSED SB NO.

52 * * * Section 2.

For the purpose of assisting the Louisiana Department of Health in identifying changes in household circumstances for benefit allotments, the Department of Children and Family Services shall report identifying information to the Louisiana Department of Health within seventy-twothreebusiness hoursdays following a hearing held pursuant to Children's Code Article 624.

The Louisiana Department of Health shall determine the required information necessaryPage to1 identifyof the3 childCoding: and the child's household.

B.UponreceiptofareportfromtheDepartmentofChildrenandFamilyWords Serviceswhich pursuantare tostruck thisthrough Section,are thedeletions Louisianafrom Departmentexisting oflaw; Health shall immediately:

words in boldface type and underscored are additions.

SB NO.

52 ENROLLED necessary to identify the child and the child's household.

B.UponreceiptofareportfromtheDepartmentofChildrenandFamily Services pursuant to this Section, the Louisiana Department of Health shall immediately complete all of the following:

If the Louisiana Department of Health receives an application for a public assistance benefit for a child that is included in another household that receives benefits, the department shall conduct an assessment to determine Pagewhere 2the ofchild 4is Coding:currently residing and adjust the benefit allotment accordingly.

Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;

words in boldface type and underscored are additions.

SLS 26RS-236 RE-REENGROSSED SB NO.

52 where the child is currently residing and adjust the benefit allotment accordingly.

If the Louisiana DepartmentofDepartment of Health determines thatthatan an individual failed to report a required change in household circumstances and is receiving public assistance benefits for a child that is no longer living in the household, the departmentLouisiana Department of Health shall report the individual to the fraud detection unit of the departmentLouisiana Department of Health for investigation and recovery of ineligible benefits.

Upon written request of the state child ombudsman, the Department ofofChildrenandFamilyServicesand ChildrentheLouisiana andDepartmentof Family Services and the Louisiana Department of Health shall providePage access2 to any records identifying changes in household circumstances or related to the adjustment of public3 assistanceCoding: benefits as required by this Section.

The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Senate Legislative Services.

The keyword, summary, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent.

[R.S.

1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] DIGEST SB 52 Re-Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session Cathey Proposed law requires the Dept.

of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to report identifying information to the La.

Dept.

of Health (LDH) within 72 hours following a hearing held pursuant to present law for the purpose of identifying changes in household circumstances for benefit allotments.

Proposed law requires LDH, upon receipt of a report from DCFS, to immediately:

(1) Review whether either of the child's parents is receiving any public assistance benefits as a result of the child being included in the parent's household.

(2) Adjust any SNAP, WIC, or FITAP benefits for the parent's household to reflect the change in circumstance.

(3) If the child is enrolled in Medicaid, issue a new Medicaid managed care insurance card for the child at the child's new residence.

Proposed law requires DCFS to report to LDH if a child under the age of 18 is returned to the custody of the child's parent.

ProposedlawrequiresLDHto conductanassessmentto determinewhereachildis residing andadjust thebenefitsallotment accordinglyifLDHreceivesanapplicationforbenefitsfor a child that is included in another household that receives benefits.

Proposed law requires LDH to report any individual that failed to report a change in household circumstances and is receiving public assistance benefits for a child that is no Page 3 of 4 Coding:

SLS 26RS-236 RE-REENGROSSED SB NO.

52 longerENROLLED livingprovide inaccess theto any records identifying changes in household circumstances or related to the department'sadjustment fraudof unit.public assistance benefits as required by this Section.

PresentPRESIDENT lawOF providesTHE forSENATE aSPEAKER stateOF childTHE ombudsmanHOUSE appointedOF byREPRESENTATIVES theGOVERNOR legislativeOF auditorTHE toSTATE monitorOF andLOUISIANA evaluateAPPROVED: public and private agencies involved in the protection and deliveryof services to children and provides for the duties and responsibilities of the state child ombudsman.

ProposedlawretainsPage present3 lawandfurtherrequiresthestatechildombudsman to conduct an annual review of the3 implementationCoding: of proposed law byDCFS and LDH, including the timely compliance with reporting requirements and a review of department procedures.