Report Illustrates Failure of State Welfare Policy; 'States Behaving Badly' Released Ahead of Nat'l Governors Assn. Meeting

2/22/2002

From: Tyler Prell, 202-518-8047, tyler@publicinterestpr.com, for the National Campaign for Jobs and Income Support

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 -- When they meet at the National Governors' Association winter meeting later this week, ten governors will carry with them the shameful distinction of running the country's worst welfare systems. "States Behaving Badly: America's Ten Worst Welfare States," a new study by the National Campaign for Jobs and Income Support, ranks states according to the number of unfair policies they have enacted since Congress granted them vast new authority over federal welfare funds in 1996. The study finds that in the absence of a meaningful minimum standard, poor families are subject to punitive and discriminatory state policies and practices.

"A key premise of the 1996 welfare law was that state governments, if given appropriate discretion, are best positioned to ensure the well-being of poor families with children. The Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) block grant was designed with this in mind," said Deepak Bhargava, director of the National Campaign for Jobs and Income Support and chief organizer of the Make TANF Work! Campaign. "But state action over the last five years shows that unless states are required to do the right thing, they often do not."

Governors are extremely influential in formulating federal welfare law, and are expected to unveil their agenda for TANF reauthorization later this week. States Behaving Badly examines all 50 states and the District of Columbia with regard to sanctions, education and training, time limits, two-parent eligibility, immigrant access to benefits, work and family balance, and workfare programs.

The study finds that a number of states have adopted extremely punitive policies well outside the mainstream and would not be broadly supported by the public. The prevalence of such policies indicates the need for a stronger federal role when Congress turns to TANF reauthorization.

LOWLIGHTS:

-- A number of states, including Connecticut, Michigan, Oregon, Texas, and Wisconsin have engaged in "supplantation" -- meaning that they have diverted welfare funds to pay for tax cuts or other programs not targeted to low-income families. There is nothing in federal law that prevents states from engaging in supplantation, even though it clearly contradicts the intent of the 1996 law.

-- Sixteen states retain rules that discriminate against poor two-parent families. Even Oklahoma, which has a widely discussed "marriage promotion" initiative, has not taken the basic and sensible step of eliminating rules that discriminate against two-parent families.

-- Ten states with significant immigrant populations have not created state replacement programs to provide benefits to immigrants who are ineligible for assistance under the federal law. Texas, which developed its policy under the watch of now-President George W. Bush, is the worst performer in this regard.

-- Six states have policies that require parents to work when an infant is one day old. Another 11 states require parents to work when an infant reaches three months. New census data shows that 50 percent of all mothers stay home with a child under one year old. State policies have resulted in extreme requirements for low-income mothers that fly in the face of the lack of infant care and child development research that shows the benefits of parents being able stay at home with their infants.

-- Fifteen states have "full family sanctions" that terminate assistance after the first instance of non-compliance with welfare rules. Three states will not allow any circumstance to count as a "good cause" for non-compliance, including illness, unavailable childcare, caring for a disabled family member or domestic violence.

-- Seven states have lifetime limits shorter than the federal 60 months. Nineteen states do not allow any exemptions to the lifetime limit.

-- In 14 states, families receive benefits of $300 per month or less.

"These facts speak for themselves: In the absence of meaningful federal standards, states enact punitive and discriminatory state policies and practices that harm families and do little to help them move out of poverty," said Bhargava. "As Congress takes up welfare reauthorization, this report should provide ample evidence that state governments are not up to the task and need federal requirements to help them do the right thing."

The National Campaign for Jobs and Income Support is a national coalition of grassroots organizations in 40 states working to reduce poverty. It is the convener of the Make TANF Work! Campaign, which seeks to make poverty reduction the central goal of TANF reauthorization.

America's Ten Worst Welfare States

1. Idaho 2. Wisconsin 3. Oklahoma 4. Oregon 5. Wyoming 6. Arizona 7. Mississippi 8. South Dakota 9. Texas 10. Utah

Dishonorable mentions:, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Virginia

To receive a copy of the report or to speak with Deepak Bhargava, Director of the National Campaign for Jobs and Income Support, contact Tyler Prell at 202-518-8047 or tyler@publicinterestpr.com. Visit http://www.makeTANFwork.org.