PERIODIC REEVALUATION OF NEED AND PAYMENT STANDARDS.

SEC. 404. PERIODIC REEVALUATION OF NEED AND PAYMENT STANDARDS. (a) In General.— Section 402 of the Social Security Act (as amended by section 301 of this Act) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: “(h) (1) Each State shall reevaluate the need standard and payment standard under its plan at least once every 3 years, in accordance with a schedule established by the Secretary, and report the results of the reevaluation to the Secretary and the public at such time and in such form and manner as the Secretary may require. “(2) The report required by paragraph (1) shall include a statement of— “(A) the manner in which the need standard of the State is determined, “(B) the relationship between the need standard and the payment standard (expressed as a percentage or in any other manner determined by the Secretary to be appropriate), and “(C) any changes in the need standard or the payment standard in the preceding 3-year period. “(3) The Secretary shall report promptly to the Congress the results of the reevaluations required by paragraph (I).”. (b) Effective Date.— The amendment made by subsection (a) shall become effective on the date of the enactment of this Act.