State Implementation of Major Changes to Welfare Policies, 1992 – 1998

Table W-3
Approval and Implementation Dates of AFDC and TANF Sanctions Policies, 1992 – 1998

  AFDC Policy TANF TANF Policy
  JOBS Sanctions Implementation Initial Sanction Severest Sanction
State Approved Implemented Official Actual Benefit Reduction Duration of Sanction (months) Benefit Reduction Duration of Sanction (months)
Alabama     11-15-96   Partial until compliance Full 3
Alaska     7-1-97   Partial 1 Partial 12
Arizona 5-22-95 11-1-95 10-1-96   Partial 1 Full 1
Arkansas     7-1-97   Full until compliance Full 3
California     11-26-96 1-1-98 Partial until compliance Partial 6
Colorado     7-1-97   Partial 1-3 Full 3-6
Connecticut 8-29-94 1-1-96 10-1-96   Partial 3 Full 3
Delaware 5-8-95 -- (1) 3-10-97   Partial until compliance Full lifetime
DC     3-1-97   Partial until compliance Partial 6
Florida     10-1-96   Full until compliance Full 3
Georgia 11-1-93 1-1-94 1-1-97   Partial 1 Full lifetime
Hawaii     7-1-97   Partial until compliance Partial 6
Idaho 8-19-96   7-1-97   Full 1 Full lifetime
Illinois 9-30-95 10-1-95 7-1-97   Partial until compliance Full 3
Indiana 12-15-94 5-1-95 10-1-96   Partial 2 Partial 36
Iowa 8-13-93 10-1-93 1-1-97   Partial 3 Full 6
Kansas     10-1-96   Full until compliance Full 2
Kentucky     10-18-96   Partial until compliance Full until compliance
Louisiana     1-1-97   Partial 3 Full until compliance
Maine     11-1-96   Partial until compliance Partial 6
Maryland 8-16-96 10-1-96 12-9-96   Full until compliance Full 1
Massachusetts 8-4-95 11-1-95 9-30-96   Partial until compliance Full until compliance
Michigan 10-6-94 10-6-94 9-30-96   Partial 1 Full 1
Minnesota     7-1-97   Partial 1 Partial 6
Mississippi     10-1-96 7-1-97 Full 2 Full lifetime
Missouri 4-18-95 6-1-95 12-1-96   Partial until compliance Partial 6
Montana 4-18-95 -- (2) 2-1-97   Partial 1 Partial 12
Nebraska 2-27-95 -- (3) 12-1-96   Full 1 Full 12
Nevada     12-3-96   Partial 1 Full lifetime
New Hampshire 6-18-96   10-1-96   Partial 1/2 Partial 1/2
New Jersey 7-1-92 10-1-92 2-1-97 7-1-97 Partial 1 Full 3
New Mexico     7-1-97   Partial until compliance Full until compliance
New York     12-2-96 11-1-97 Partial until compliance Partial 6
North Carolina 2-5-96 7-1-96 1-1-97   Partial 3 Partial 12
North Dakota   -- (4) 7-1-97   Partial 1 Full until compliance
Ohio 3-13-96 7-1-96 10-1-96   Full 1 Full 6
Oklahoma     10-1-96   Full until compliance Full until compliance
Oregon 3-28-96 7-1-96 (5) 10-1-96   Partial until compliance Full until compliance
Pennsylvania     3-3-97   Partial 1 Full lifetime
Rhode Island     5-1-97   Partial until compliance Partial until compliance
South Carolina 5-3-96   10-12-96   Full 1 Full 1
South Dakota 3-14-94 6-1-94 12-1-96   Partial 1 Full 1
Tennessee 7-25-96 9-1-96 10-1-96   Full until compliance Full 3
Texas 3-22-96 6-1-96 11-5-96   Partial 1 Partial 6
Utah 10-5-92 7-1-96 (6) 10-1-96   Partial until compliance Full until compliance
Vermont 4-12-93 7-1-94 9-20-96   Partial until compliance Full until compliance
Virginia 7-1-95 -- (7) 2-1-97   Full 1 Full 6
Washington -- (8)   1-10-97   Partial 1/2 Partial 1/2
West Virginia 7-31-95 2-1-96 1-11-97   Partial 3 Full 6
Wisconsin 8-14-95 1-1-96 9-30-96 9-1-97 Partial/Full until compliance Full lifetime
Wyoming     1-1-97   Partial 1 Full 1
Note:  Implementation dates are arbitrarily stated as of the first of the month absent specific information to the contrary.  The "actual" dates for TANF implementation are based on communications from Urban Institute staff.

Source:  Department of Health and Human Services, Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Setting the Baseline:  A Report on State Welfare Waivers and other unpublished documents.

Table W-3.a
Comparison of AFDC and TANF Sanctions Policies By Implementation Dates and Severity of Sanction

  AFDC Waiver Policy TANF Policy
  Sanction Rating Sanction Rating
  Initial Final Low Medium High Initial Final Low Medium High
Alabama           Partial Full   11-15-96  
Alaska           Partial Partial 7-1-97    
Arizona Partial Partial 11-1-95     Partial Full   10-1-96  
Arkansas           Full Full     7-1-97
California           Partial Partial 1-1-98    
Colorado           Partial Full   7-1-97  
Connecticut Partial Full   1-1-96   Partial Full   10-1-96  
Delaware Partial Full (life) (1)       Partial Full     3-10-97
DC           Partial Partial 3-1-97    
Florida           Full Full     10-1-96
Georgia Partial Partial 1-1-94     Partial Full     1-1-97
Hawaii           Partial Partial 7-1-97    
Idaho           Full Full     7-1-97
Illinois Partial Full   10-1-95   Partial Full   7-1-97  
Indiana Partial Partial 5-1-95     Partial Partial   10-1-96  
Iowa Partial Full   10-1-93   Partial Full   1-1-97  
Kansas           Full Full     10-1-96
Kentucky           Partial Full   10-18-96  
Louisiana           Partial Full   1-1-97  
Maine           Partial Partial 11-1-96    
Maryland Full Full     10-1-96 Full Full     12-9-96
Massachusetts Partial Full   11-1-95   Partial Full   9-30-96  
Michigan Partial Full   10-6-94   Partial Full   9-30-96  
Minnesota           Partial Partial 7-1-97    
Mississippi           Full Full     7-1-97
Missouri Partial Partial 6-1-95     Partial Partial 12-1-96    
Montana Partial Partial (2)       Partial Partial 2-1-97    
Nebraska Full Full (3)       Full Full     1-1-97
Nevada           Partial Full     12-3-96
New Hampshire           Partial Partial 10-1-96    
New Jersey Partial Partial 10-1-92     Partial Full   7-1-97  
New Mexico           Partial Full   7-1-97  
New York           Partial Partial 11-1-97    
North Carolina Partial Partial 7-1-96     Partial Partial 1-1-97    
North Dakota           Partial Full   1-1-98  
Ohio Partial Full   7-1-96   Full Full     10-1-96
Oklahoma           Full Full     10-1-96
Oregon Partial Full   7-1-96   Partial Full   10-1-96  
Pennsylvania           Partial Full     3-3-97
Rhode Island           Partial Partial 5-1-97    
South Carolina           Full Full     10-12-96
South Dakota Partial Partial 6-1-94     Partial Full   12-1-96  
Tennessee Full Full     9-1-96 Full Full     10-1-96
Texas Partial Partial 6-1-96     Partial Partial 11-5-96    
Utah Partial Full (6)   7-1-96   Partial Full   10-1-96  
Vermont Partial Partial   7-1-94   Partial Full   9-20-96  
Virginia Full Full (7)       Full Full     10-1-97
Washington           Partial Partial 1-10-97    
West Virginia Partial Full   2-1-96   Partial Full     1-11-97
Wisconsin Partial Partial 1-1-96     Partial/ Full Full     9-1-97
Wyoming           Partial Full     1-1-97
Note:  Implementation dates are arbitrarily stated as of the first of the month absent specific information to the contrary.

Source:  Department of Health and Human Services, Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Setting the Baseline:  A Report on State Welfare Waivers and other unpublished documents.

FOOTNOTES

1.  Delaware began implementation of its JOBS sanctions policy with a small number of cases in October 1995; these became universal in March 1997.

2.  Montana's JOBS sanctions policy began in eight counties in February 1996 and was phased in statewide by February 1997.

3.  Nebraska began to implement its "Welfare Reform Demonstration Project" in eight counties in October 1995 which included a full-family sanction.

4.  North Dakota's work sanction policy was initially implemented in 11 counties beginning in July 1996.

5.  Oregon's JOBS sanctions policy was approved July 15, 1992 for statewide application (except for 8 local areas); the state began implementation in February 1993 in part of the state.  Under a later waiver, a revised policy was implemented statewide in July 1995.

6.  Utah's JOBS work exemptions policy for adults caring for a young child began in seven counties in January 1993.  Included was the implementation of a $100 benefit reduction sanction.  In November 1995 , this was replaced by a full-family sanction, which was expanded statewide by July 1996.

7.  Virginia's JOBS sanctions began in five counties in July 1995 and were expanded to the entire state by October 1997.

8.  In the set of waivers listed in the original 1997 CEA analysis, the state of Washington was listed as having had a JOBS sanctions waiver approved September 29, 1995. Subsequent review of the nature of this waiver resulted in its being classified as a termination time limit waiver.

Where to?

Main Report:  State Implementation of Major Changes to Welfare Policies, 1992 – 1998

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Last updated 1/11/00