"Important Dates: Federal Implementation"
FEDERAL WELFARE REFORM--IMPORTANT DATES
TANF
September 30, 1996
State waivers in effect by this date are exempt from welfare reform
provisions until waiver expiration date.
October 1, 1996
Federal entitlement to AFDC removed.
By July 1, 1997
Implement TANF block grant.
July 1, 1997 or 6 months after receipt of state plan
Various penalties and data collection requirements take effect.
August 1997
HHS must develop formula for measuring state performance.
August 1997
Recipients of aid, not engaged in work must participate in community
service employment, unless governor opts out of this provision.
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SSI/SSP
Eliminates benefits to children who are relatively less disabled:
August 1996 - Pending and new cases.
July 1, 1997 - Current cases (July 1, 1997 or annual
redetermination, whichever is later).
March 1997
Start of federal payments to states that provide names of inmates
found to be receiving SSI.
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CHILD SUPPORT
October 1, 1997
Arrearage collections from tax intercept, for families who left
welfare, goes to state; collections from other methods go to family.
By October 1, 1998
State must conform to federal law in operating directory of new
hires.
October 1, 1998
Support orders established or modified on or after this date must be
on automated state case registry.
October 1, 1998
State must operate disbursement unit for collecting and disbursing
child support, and monitoring and enforcing collections.
October 1, 1999
Federal incentives based on performance measures.
October 2000
Arrearage collections from tax intercept, before family went on
welfare, go to state; collections from other methods go to family.
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LEGAL NONCITIZENS
Noncitizens, with certain exceptions, residing in the U.S. at
enactment of this legislation are ineligible for SSI and food stamps.
August 1996 - Noncitizens not receiving aid.
Annual redetermination - Noncitizens receiving aid.
August 1996
Noncitizens, with certain exceptions, arriving after enactment of
this legislation are ineligible for most federal means-tested
benefits for five years.
No sooner than January 1, 1997
At state option, noncitizens residing in U.S. can be denied TANF,
Social Services (Title XX), and Medicaid.
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UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS
August 1996
Federal Benefits. Undocumented immigrants are ineligible for any
federal public benefit except: emergency medical services, emergency
noncash disaster relief, child nutrition programs, treatment for
communicable diseases, immunizations, certain housing programs, and
other programs specified by the U.S. Attorney General that provide
basic in-kind services without a means test.
August 1996
State or Local Benefits. Undocumented immigrants are ineligible for
any state or local public benefit except: emergency medical
services, emergency noncash disaster relief, treatment for
communicable diseases, immunizations, and other programs specified by
the U.S. Attorney General that provide basic in-kind services without
a means test.
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CHILD NUTRITION
August 1996
At state option, illegal immigrants can be denied nutrition benefits,
other than school lunch and breakfast.
October 1, 1996
Start-up and expansion grants for the School Lunch and Breakfast
Program are eliminated.
January 1, 1997 - Rates for the Summer Food Program are reduced.
July 1, 1997
Reimbursement rates are lowered for the Family Day Care component of
the Child and Adult Day Care Food Program.
July 1, 1997
New rounding rules for the School Lunch and Breakfast Program are
effective.
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CHILD CARE
October 1, 1996
Program changes start, including eliminating set-asides and changing
administration allocations.
January 1, 1997
New child care report requirements begin.
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FOOD STAMPS
October 1, 1996
Food stamp benefits reduced by 3 percent.
October 1, 1996
Increases fair market value of vehicle to $4,650 (from $4,600) for
food stamp eligibility.
October 1, 2002
Requires implementation of food stamp electronic benefit transfer.