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139 STAT. 308 PUBLIC LAW 119–21—JULY 4, 2025 have demonstrated community engagement under para- graph (2) for a month, and may elect to not require an individual to verify information resulting in such deeming, if— ‘‘(i) for part or all of such month, the individual— ‘‘(I) was a specified excluded individual (as defined in paragraph (9)(A)(ii)); or ‘‘(II) was— ‘‘(aa) under the age of 19; ‘‘(bb) entitled to, or enrolled for, benefits under part A of title XVIII, or enrolled for benefits under part B of title XVIII; or ‘‘(cc) described in any of subclauses (I) through (VII) of subsection (a)(10)(A)(i); or ‘‘(ii) at any point during the 3-month period ending on the first day of such month, the individual was an inmate of a public institution. ‘‘(B) OPTIONAL EXCEPTION FOR SHORT-TERM HARDSHIP EVENTS.— ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The State plan (or waiver of such plan) may provide, in the case of an applicable individual who experiences a short-term hardship event during a month, that the State shall, under procedures established by the State (in accordance with standards specified by the Secretary), in the case of a short-term hardship event described in clause (ii)(II) and, upon the request of such individual, a short- term hardship event described in subclause (I) or (III) of clause (ii), deem such individual to have dem- onstrated community engagement under paragraph (2) for such month. ‘‘(ii) SHORT-TERM HARDSHIP EVENT DEFINED.—For purposes of this subparagraph, an applicable individual experiences a short-term hardship event during a month if, for part or all of such month— ‘‘(I) such individual receives inpatient hospital services, nursing facility services, services in an intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities, inpatient psychiatric hos- pital services, or such other services of similar acuity (including outpatient care relating to other services specified in this subclause) as the Sec- retary determines appropriate; ‘‘(II) such individual resides in a county (or equivalent unit of local government)— ‘‘(aa) in which there exists an emergency or disaster declared by the President pursuant to the National Emergencies Act or the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act; or ‘‘(bb) that, subject to a request from the State to the Secretary, made in such form, at such time, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, has an unemployment rate that is at or above the lesser of— ‘‘(AA) 8 percent; or Procedures.