Family Cap Policies
Welfare benefits are most often calculated based on family size. Many states passed family cap policies, which deny additional benefits or reduce the cash grant to families who have additional children while on assistance. According to the Welfare Rules Database from the Urban Institute, and NCSL legislative summaries, at least 19 states currently have a family cap policy and an additional two states have a flat cash assistance grant regardless of family size. Most of these state policies were passed in or around 1996 - 1997.
Since 1997, some states have revised their policies. Minnesota first implemented their policy in 2003. Illinois repealed their family cap effective January 2004, and Maryland repealed their provision in September 2004.
|
State
|
Traditional Cash Increment Denied
|
Traditional Cash Increment Reduced
|
Child’s Benefit in Voucher Form1
|
Flat grant regardless of family size
|
|
Arizona2
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
Arkansas
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
California
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
Connecticut
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
Delaware
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
Florida
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
Georgia3
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
Idaho
|
|
|
|
X
|
|
Indiana
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
Massachusetts
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
Minnesota
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
Mississippi
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
New Jersey4
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
North Carolina
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
North Dakota
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
Oklahoma
|
|
|
X
|
|
|
South Carolina
|
|
|
X
|
|
|
Tennessee
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
Virginia
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
Wisconsin
|
|
|
|
X
|
|
Wyoming
|
X
|
|
|
|
1 The family unit does not receive cash for the additional child. Benefits are available in the form of vouchers.
2 Family units subject to the cap receive an additional eanred income disregard equal to the lost benefit amount
3 If the family has income, the cash benefit may increase but cannot increase higher than the maximum payment for the family size excluding the capped child
4 Family units in New Jersey in which at least one adult member is working are not subject to the cap
Current through July 2009
For more information on welfare reform issues, please contact Rochelle Finzel in the Denver office at 303.364.7700 or cyf-info@ncsl.org or either Sheri Steisel or Emily Wengrovius in the D.C. office at 202.624.5400 or fedhumserv-info@ncsl.org.
|