BILL NO. 180

(as introduced)

1st Session, 60th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
56 Elizabeth II, 2007

Private Member's Bill

Employment Support and Income Assistance Act
(amended)

Stephen McNeil
Annapolis

First Reading: April 5, 2007

(Explanatory Note)

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

This Bill amends the Employment Support and Income Assistance Act to provide that unless a recipient of assistance consents in writing to a reduction in assistance, the Minister may not implement a decision to reduce assistance until the latest of

(a) the expiry of the time the recipient has to appeal the decision to the Minister;

(b) the expiry of the time the recipient has to appeal the decision of the Minister to an appeal board; or

(c) the date on which an appeal board issues its decision on the appeal.

1 Chapter 27 of the Acts of 2000, the Employment Support and Income Assistance Act, is amended by adding immediately after Section 12, the following Section:

12A Not withstanding anything in this Act, where a decision is made to reduce assistance being paid to a recipient, the Minister may not, unless the recipient consents in writing, implement the decision until the latest of

(a) the expiry of the appeal period referred to in subsection 12(3) if no person has filed an appeal;

(b) the expiry of the appeal period referred to in subsection 12(5) if the person appealing has not advised the Minister that the appeal is continued; or

(c) the date of the decision of an appeal board pursuant to Section 13 respecting an appeal of the decision to reduce the assistance being paid.