Delaware General Assembly


CHAPTER 351

RELATING TO STATE WELFARE HOME

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 31, DELAWARE CODE OF 1953 ENTITLED "WELFARE" BY PROVIDING FOR GENERAL RELIEF.

WHEREAS, AN ACT TO REPEAL TITLE 31, CHAPTER 7, DELAWARE CODE OF 1953 RELATING TO THE STATE WELFARE HOME AND ESTABLISHING A BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE STATE WELFARE HOME AND HOSPITAL FOR THE CHRONICALLY ILL AT SMYRNA AND SETTING FORTH ITS POWERS AND DUTIES, approved by the Governor June 17, 1953, placed the said Welfare Home under a separate Board, AND

WHEREAS, it is the intention of the General Assembly that the general relief program of the State of Delaware should continue under the jurisdiction of the Board of Welfare without change, NOW, THEREFORE,

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Delaware:

Section 1. Title 31, Delaware Code of 1953 is amended by adding thereto a new chapter as follows:

§ 601. Granting of general relief

Any member or employee of the Department of Welfare who is authorized by the rules and regulations of the Department to do so may grant temporary general relief including medical and surgical treatment to any indigent person eligible for such relief under the rules and regulations of the Department. At a subsequent meeting the Board of Welfare may continue or discontinue such relief.

§ 602. Financing of general relief

(a) The cost of general relief shall be a charge against the counties of the State and apportioned according to the number of recipients from each county.

(b) The Department shall annually submit to the Levy Court of each county an estimate of the general relief chargeable against such county. The Levy Court of each county shall include the amount of the estimate in the taxes laid for that year, and the same shall be credited by the Treasurer of the county to the Department, subject to its order.

(c) The Department shall, at the close of each month, furnish the Treasurer of each county with a detailed, minute and accurate account of the general relief during the month chargeable to the county, the amount of which account shall be paid to the Department, which shall disburse the same in the payment of general relief as the same has been verified and ordered by the Department to be paid.

§ 603. State contributions

(a) The State shall monthly reimburse each county to the extent of one-half the amount expended by the county for general relief.

(b) Claim for such reimbursement shall be approved by the Department and presented monthly to the State Treasurer. Before payment of the claim is made it shall be duly verified by the State Auditor, who shall certify the correctness thereof to the State Treasurer. The State Treasurer shall thereupon pay the amount of such claim to the Treasurer of the County.

(c) The estimated amount of the State's portion shall be included in the annual appropriations made by the General Assembly.

(d) If, at any time, there would be a deficit in the funds required to be provided by the Levy Court of each county for general relief, chargeable to the county, such deficit shall be paid out of the State Treasury upon requisition of the Department and shall be deducted by the State Treasurer from the amount to be paid to the county in reimbursement of the amount expended by it, as provided in this section.

Section 2. This act shall be effective June 17, 1953.

Approved July 10, 1953.