96-22150 RESO
RESOLUTION NO. 96-22150
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, SUPPORTING,
IN CONCEPT, A BILL FILED WITH THE FLORIDA
LEGISLATURE BY REPRESENT A TIVE JORGE
RODRIGUEZ-CHOMA T WHICH PROHIBITS
DISCRIMINATION BETWEEN U.S. CITIZENS AND LEGAL
RESIDENTS IN THE PROVISION OF MEDICAID AND
OTHER PUBLIC ASSISTANCE BENEFITS IN FLORIDA AND
WHICH PROVIDES CERTAIN ASSISTANCE FOR LEGAL
RESIDENTS WHO ARE APPLYING FOR CITIZENSHIP AND
FOR CERTAIN ELDERLY PERSONS WHO ARE UNABLE
TO OBTAIN CITIZENSHIP.
WHEREAS, the United States government recently passed a Federal Welfare Reform Act
which will have the affect of terminating certain welfare and public assistance benefits to legal
residents who are not United States citizens; and
WHEREAS, the Federal Welfare Reform Act will result in a loss of supplementary security
income for legal residents in the United States and, in particular, for approximately 100,000 people
in Dade County; and
WHEREAS, approximately 2,000 to 3,000 legal residents living in the City of Miami Beach
may be impacted by the F ederal Welfare Reform Act; and
WHEREAS, State Representative Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat has proposed a bill relating to
welfare reform, a copy of which is attached hereto, which would prohibit discrimination between
United States citizens and legal residents in the provision of Medicaid and other public assistance
benefits in Florida and which would provide certain assistance for legal residents who are applying
for citizenship and for certain elderly persons who are unable to obtain citizenship; and
WHEREAS, the legislation proposed by Representative Rodriguez-Chomat seeks to
alleviate the burden on legal residents which will result from the implementation of the Federal
Welfare Reform Act and to provide continued assistance to legal residents, many of whom are
applying for U.S. citizenship and are pending becoming U.S. citizens, and to assist those whose are
65 years of age or older who have applied for citizenship and, for reasons beyond their control,
cannot obtain citizenship because they are sick, have disabilities, or are otherwise unable to become
U.S. citizens.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA that the City of Miami Beach
hereby supports, in concept, the attached bill proposed by State Representative Jorge Rodriguez-
Chomat relating to welfare reform.
PASSED and ADOPTED THIS
25th
day of
September
1996.
ATTEST:
fa t 1 APPROVED
lEGAL DEPT.
By~~h
Date ~"
Robd- g~
CITY CLERK
DJT\kw
f\atto\tum\resos\welfare.act
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11 Section 1. Nondiscrimination.--Notwithstanding any
12 EEovision of the federal Personal Responsibility and Work
13 QEPortunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Pub. L. No. ), the
14 State of Florida shall not discriminate between united States
15 citizens and legal residents of the United States in the
16 ~rovision of public assistance to qualified persons residin~
17 in the state.
, .,'~
A bill to be e~titl~~} ,
An act relating to welfare. refylft'! prohibi ting
certain discrimination i~~e provision of
Medicaid and other publ~~' assistance; providing
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for certain assistance to legal residents of
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the UnL~ed Stat.~; providing conditions;
providing':an>'effect i ve date.
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~e It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
18 (1) A legal resident of the United States residing in
19 the state who has lost Medicaid, supplemental security income,
20 or tood stamp benefits as a result of said federal act is
21 eligible to receive equivalent benefits under state law while
22 the resident's application for citizenShip is pending,
23 provided the resident applied tor citizenship not later than
24 120 days after the effective date of the federal act. ~he
25 amount of benefits provided to a person under this subsection
26 may not exceed the amount of the benefits lost by that person
27 as a result of the federal act.
28 (2) Legal residents of the United States residing in
29 the state who are 65 years of age or older on the effective
30 date of this act, and who have lost benefits and applied for
31 United States citizenship as provided for in this section but
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552-12SA-97
are unable to obtain citizenship through no fault of their
2 own, are eligible to receive benefits under state law which
3 are equivalent to the Medicaid and other ~ublic assistance
4 benefits provided to United States citizens residing in the
5 state who are 65 years of age or older.
6 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a
7 law.
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552-125A-97
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2 HOUSE SUMMARY
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4 prohibits discrimination between united States citizens
5 and legal residents in the provision of Medicaid and
6 other public assistance benefits in Florida. Provides
7 certain assistance for legal residents who are applying
8 for citizenship and for certain elderly persons who are
9 _ unable to obtain citizenship.
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CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
TO:
Jose Garcia-Pedrosa
City Manager
cp
FROM:
Seymour Gelber
Mayor
DATE:
September 18, 1996
SUBJECT:
Agenda Item - September 25th
Please place a presentation relating to welfare reform, by State Representative Jorge
Rodriguez-Chomat, on the September 25th Commission meeting agenda.
SG:cjn
Enclosure
Agenda Item f\ q a
Date <1- "2- 5...'1 k
666