45 CFR § 262.3 - How will we determine if a State is subject to a penalty?

§ 262.3 How will we determine if a State is subject to a penalty?
Link to an amendment published at 89 FR 80071, Oct. 2, 2024.

(a)

(1) We will use the single audit under 45 CFR part 75, subpart F, in conjunction with other reviews, audits, and data sources, as appropriate, to determine if a State is subject to a penalty for misusing Federal TANF funds (§ 263.10 of this chapter), intentionally misusing Federal TANF funds (§ 263.12 of this chapter), failing to participate in IEVS (§ 264.10 of this chapter), failing to comply with paternity establishment and child support requirements (§ 264.31 of this chapter), failing to maintain assistance to an adult single custodial parent who cannot obtain child care for a child under 6 (§ 261.57 of this chapter), failing to reduce assistance to a recipient who refuses without good cause to work (§ 261.54 of this chapter), and after October 1, 2007 failing to comply with work participation verification procedures (§ 261.64 of this chapter).

(2) We will also use the single audit as a secondary method of determining if a State is subject to other penalties if an audit detects lack of compliance in other penalty areas.

(b)

(1) We will use the TANF Data Report required under part 265 of this chapter to determine if a State failed to meet participation rates (§§ 261.21 and 261.23 of this chapter) or failed to comply with the five-year limit on Federal assistance (§ 264.1 of this chapter).

(2) Data in these reports are subject to our verification in accordance with § 265.7 of this chapter.

(c)

(1) We will use the TANF Financial Report (or, as applicable, the Territorial Financial Report) as the primary method for determining if a State has failed to meet the basic MOE requirement (§ 263.8 of this chapter), meet the Contingency Fund MOE requirement (§ 264.76 of this chapter), or replace SFAG reductions with State-only funds (§ 264.50 of this chapter).

(2) Data in these reports are subject to our verification in accordance with § 265.7 of this chapter.

(d) We will determine that a State is subject to the specific penalties for failure to perform if we find information in the reports under paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section to be insufficient to show compliance or if we determine that the State has not adequately documented actions verifying that it has met the participation rates or the time limits.

(e) To determine if a State has met its MOE requirements, we will also use the supplemental information in the annual report required in accordance with § 265.9(c) of this chapter.

(f) States must maintain records in accordance with 45 CFR 75.361 through 75.370.

(g) To determine if a State is subject to a penalty under § 262.1(a)(16), we will use the information provided in annual state reports at § 265.9(b)(10) of this chapter, in accordance with Section 409(a)(16) of the Social Security Act.

[64 FR 17890, Apr. 12, 1999, as amended at 71 FR 37481, June 29, 2006; 81 FR 2105, Jan. 15, 2016; 81 FR 3020, Jan. 20, 2016]