Hi John,

Historic changes to WA's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program are underway in the legislature. All that's needed is one last push to move these bills through.

There are three bills (HB 2441, SB 6478, and SB 5144) that, if passed, could make key changes to TANF that would help ensure that the program can better support the children and parents that it serves. Each of these bills must be voted out of their respective fiscal committees before the cutoff deadline-- which is today! Your voice and action is needed to urge lawmakers to move these bills forward without any further amendments!

A quick refresher on the bills:

House Bill 2441 and Senate Bill 6478 would eliminate TANF's policy of full-family sanctions-- removing a family's full cash grant if they have trouble meeting program requirements. It would also allow extensions to the program's time limits, allowing families to continue accessing program assistance if they are navigating barriers to stability, such as mental illness or substance use addiction, that have made it hard for them to obtain economic stability. Both of these rigid program policies-- full-family sanctions and time-limits-- don't just harm families on an individual level-- time-limits, in particular, have been proven to worsen our state's racial economic divide. We must make sure that lawmakers not only vote to move these bills out of committee, but also keep them intact with no further amendments. Take action on both bills using this link here.

Senate Bill 5144 would allow families who are receiving TANF support to also receive a portion of their child-support (between $50-100 a month, depending on family size). Currently, all child support payments made by a non-custodial parent that families on TANF would receive are collected and withheld by the state. This bill would allow families to not only receive a much-needed boost to their income, but also allow them to receive money that is rightfully theirs. Take action on Senate Bill 5144 using this link here.

These bills have the power to truly strengthen TANF, and restore the program as the economic lifeline that it is for low-income families. Join us by sending your lawmaker an email today!