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PUBLIC BENEFITS JUSTICE UPDATE
APRIL 2024
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A Note from the Director on the New Team Name
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Dear friends,
We are excited to announce that the Income and Work Supports team has changed our name to Public Benefits Justice. This change has evolved collaboratively with the team as part of a months-long process to articulate our theory of change and vision within CLASP’s overall mission. While "Income and Work Supports" has served us well in the past, the new name, "Public Benefits Justice," is designed to better reflect our commitment to achieving a bold vision for public benefits that centers economic and racial justice. We believe that the public benefits system must move beyond providing (or, too often, failing to provide) the very minimum that people need to survive and toward a framework of abundance that is designed to facilitate long-term economic security. More to come!
In solidarity,
Cara Brumfield (on behalf of the PBJ team)
Director, Public Benefits Justice
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| New Direct File Tool Pilot Program Will Ease Tax Filing for Many |
| During this year’s 2023 tax filing season, the IRS is testing a new, free online tax filing tool in 12 states. The Direct File tool promises an important opportunity to make tax filing easier and cheaper, and help more tax filers access credits that they are eligible for, like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC). |
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In the News
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MARCH 28, 2024 | THE BALTIMORE BANNER
Bill proposal could unravel Maryland’s benefits theft reimbursement program
Federal funds to reimburse benefits stolen from SNAP participants through EBT skimming will expire in September, and Congress hasn’t indicated it will extend support. At the same time, benefits theft has skyrocketed. Maryland legislators are considering a bill that could limit or end reimbursements through state funding. Ashley Burnside notes in the story: “Ultimately, that means a family is then left without the money to afford groceries, to meet their bills, and some really hard financial choices.”
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FEBRUARY 23, 2024 | STATELINE
As millions wait on food stamp approvals, feds tell states to speed it up
Parker Gilkesson Davis speaks about the significant delay in benefits SNAP recipients are experiencing across the country because of serious backlogs caused by staff shortages and outdated computer systems. Advocates, including Parker, note that state challenges in processing applications and getting benefits to customers are long-standing. CLASP and other groups have petitioned the USDA to lift the interview requirement for SNAP applications altogether, reducing administrative burden.
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FEBRUARY 28, 2024 | NONPROFIT QUARTERLY
What’s the State of Play in Child Tax Credit Negotiations?
Ashley Burnside summarizes the state of play in the negotiations for temporary expansions to the CTC included in the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024. She explains the implications of the proposed changes and how permanent reform is needed to make the CTC a more equitable child benefit.
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Public Benefits Justice Team Updates
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Our team is welcoming back Policy Analyst Teon Hayes after her parental leave. We're thrilled to have her back! We are also welcoming Tylah Harrison to the team. Tylah is a Congressional Hunger Fellow working with the PBJ team to advance our advocacy goals in the nutrition space.
The Community Partnership Group and our team won the Bronze Anthem Award in the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Research Projects or Publications category for “A Community-Driven Anti-Racist Vision for SNAP.” This award honors the important recommendations in the report to move SNAP in an anti-racist direction. Here’s the Anthem Award feature on this entry, which includes a brief message from Parker.
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National, State and Local Spotlights
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Two Guaranteed Income Bills Introduced in Congress
Two bills have been introduced in Congress that would provide guaranteed income on a national scale. The Guaranteed Income Pilot Program Act of 2023 would provide monthly payments to 20,000 individuals and measure the effects. The Young Adult Tax Credit Act would provide a universal monthly $500 payment to all young people ages 18 through 24 in the United States. You can read more about the bills in this blog.
Pennsylvania Seeks Medicaid Waiver to Provide Nutrition, Housing, and Reentry Supports
To address health-related social needs (HRSNs), Pennsylvania submitted a waiver that would allow the state to provide nutrition and housing supports to certain Medicaid participants and connect people with eligible conditions with Medicaid prior to their release from incarceration. The waiver also provides multi-year continuous eligibility for young children. You can read CLASP’s comments here and the full Pennsylvania proposal here.
Basic Income Program Centering Babies Launches in Flint, MI
A new program has launched in Flint, Michigan called Rx Kids. Rx Kids will provide $500 monthly payments to mothers of newborns for the first year of the baby’s life. All pregnant moms will also be eligible to get a one-time payment during pregnancy of $1,500. The program is a model of investing in babies, parents, and public health. Nearly 450 families have already enrolled in the program. You can learn more about Rx Kids here.
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