Section 49-2-11. Acceptance and disbursement of federal aid; compliance with conditions; use of appropriations for matching funds

   (a) Notwithstanding any provision in this title to the contrary, particularly Articles 2, 3, and 5 of Chapter 4 of this title, nothing therein contained shall be construed to prevent the acceptance of more than 50 percent federal matching funds. The department may accept and disburse the maximum percentage of federal grant-in-aid funds made available to this state by the federal government under any formula of variable grants or other formula for the granting of federal grants-in-aid.

(b) The department is authorized to comply with the requirements prescribed by Congress as conditions to federal grants.

(c) To the end of empowering the department to comply with federal requirements and to effectuate the purposes of grant-in-aid welfare programs, the board is authorized to promulgate all necessary rules and regulations and the department is authorized to do all things necessary and proper for the securing of the maximum amount of such federal grants.

(d) In the event that Congress appropriates funds for grants-in-aid to the state governments for the purpose of assisting them in the operation of general assistance programs, medical assistance programs, or any other welfare programs, the department is authorized to cooperate with the federal government in such programs, to accept funds from the federal government in the maximum amounts made available, to disburse them, and to comply with all requirements of the federal government necessary for the securing of such grant-in-aid funds.

(e) Any state funds which are made available by appropriation to the department for matching federal funds shall be available to supply the state portion of expenditures for general assistance programs, medical assistance programs, or any other type welfare programs provided for by the federal government which benefit the citizens or residents of this state.

(f) Notwithstanding subsections (a) through (e) of this Code section, the Department of Community Health shall be the single state agency for the administration of the state medical assistance plan.

Ga. L. 1945, p. 196, §§ 1-5; Ga. L. 1961, p. 222, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1977, p. 384, § 1; Ga. L. 1999, p. 296, § 24; Ga. L. 2009, p. 453, § 2-1/HB 228.