Bill to expand access to TANF clears Senate committee

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Jo Anna Dossett, D-Tulsa, has won committee approval for her bill expanding access to federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits. On Monday, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee approved by a vote of 10-1 the passage of Senate Bill 113, which allows certain amounts of child support payments to be excluded from a TANF applicant’s income, for the purposes of program eligibility.

“My bill would allow a child support payee to exclude up to $100 for one child and up to $200 for two or more children from their income when applying for TANF benefits. This measure, at no cost to the state, will allow cash-strapped families to access federal dollars previously unavailable to them,” Dossett said.

Though federal dollars fund TANF, each state administers the program differently. Twenty-seven states currently disregard as income some or all of the child support owed a TANF applicant, allowing those applicants to unlock federal dollars that otherwise would stay in the hands of the government. SB 113 is an effort to join those states who have decided to maximize the relief available to their citizens most in need.

“Direct relief to our most vulnerable families at no cost to the state is an effort we can all rally around,” Dossett said. “It’s no secret that our state government is looking at a grim financial forecast in the coming legislative session and fiscal year, but that doesn’t mean our citizens’ basic needs have come to a halt. SB 113 is a common-sense effort to bring relief to those of us who hurt the most when the legislature finds itself in a budget crunch.”

SB 113 is available for a hearing before the full Senate and must be voted on by March 27^th.

– END –

For more information, contact:  Sen. Jo Anna Dossett: (405) 521-5624 or JoAnna.Dossett@oksenate.gov