Short Title, Legislative Intent and Severability

(a)This Chapter may be filed as the Personal Responsibility and Self-Sufficiency Act of 1997.

(b)I Liheslaturan Guåhan finds and declares that families that receive public assistance possess a sense of responsibility and accountability. I Liheslaturan Guåhan further finds that a system of public assistance should:

(1)encourage recipients to achieve their full potential by becoming gainfully employed, rather than remaining dependent of public assistance;

(2)provide for the safety and protection of children; and

(3)provide a system of support for persons in need.

(c)This Chapter shall be liberally construed to meet these ends of this § 34101 and to ensure compliance with the Federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.

(d)If any portion of this Chapter is declared invalid for any reason by any court of law, the remainder shall remain in effect.