TOPEKA — Kansas Governor Laura Kelly is urging the Legislature to reconsider the restrictive 2015 policy on the state’s cash assistance program, which has made it one of the most difficult programs to access in the nation.
Kelly plans to collaborate with lawmakers in the upcoming 2025 session to revamp the Hope, Opportunity, and Prosperity for Everyone HOPE Act, which significantly altered eligibility criteria for cash assistance.
Legislative engagement with the cash assistance program has been limited since 2016, when the maximum lifetime participation was reduced from three years to two. Recent evaluations of the act’s impact have revealed increased strain on the foster care system, raising concerns that families are falling through the cracks.
There are a number of things that are in that bill that really harmed our families, Kelly, a Democrat, told Kansas Reflector on September 26.
Originally enacted under Republican Governor Sam Brownback, the HOPE Act aimed to combat welfare fraud, encourage employment, and reduce long-term dependency on government aid.
Under the federal guidelines, individuals can participate in cash assistance programs for up to five years in their lifetime. Prior to the HOPE Act, Kansas allowed 48 months of assistance; however, this was reduced to 36 months and later to 24 months in 2015. The legislation introduced additional restrictions, including limitations on ATM withdrawals from cash assistance cards, disqualifications for repeat drug offenders, restrictions on how the assistance could be spent, and work requirements.
People are always talking about others who need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps,” Kelly said. They gotta have bootstraps to pull.
The federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families TANF program funds cash assistance initiatives, which are managed by the Kansas Department for Children and Families. In 2022, Kansas allocated less than 7% of its $161 million TANF funding to basic assistance, ranking it among the lowest in the U.S. A recent state audit revealed a nearly 40% decrease in cash assistance spending over the past 14 years, contrasting with a $25 million increase in foster care prevention funding during the same period.
Additionally, the audit found that the purchasing power of cash assistance dollars has halved since the program began in 1996.
Research by Donna Ginther, a policy economist and director of the Institute for Policy and Social Research at the University of Kansas, indicates that broad access to benefits like cash assistance has positive outcomes for children and families. Her studies show that restricting cash and food assistance can lead to adverse long-term effects, including negative impacts on health, education, and employment.
Kansas ranks among the most restrictive states in the U.S. regarding cash assistance, with recent statistics showing it served only a small fraction of children compared to its population. Between October 2022 and September 2023, Kansas had fewer children receiving cash assistance than only Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and North Dakota.
These restrictions have also contributed to declining participation in Kansas’ food assistance program, which is funded through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program SNAP. Lawmakers have taken a firmer stance on food assistance, overriding a veto in 2022 to require Kansans to either work 30 hours a week or enroll in job training to qualify for benefits.
I don’t think our approach to the social safety net helps people get back on their feet,” Ginther stated, adding that the current system discourages individuals from seeking assistance.
Ginther’s research highlights a correlation between policies that limit TANF access and increased cases of child maltreatment and foster care placements.
Suggestions to improve the system include raising the participation limit back to 48 months and simplifying the application process to allow for simultaneous applications across multiple programs.
In 2015, over 13,700 Kansans received cash assistance, including more than 10,300 children. By 2018, that number had plummeted to about 4,200, with over 2,500 children. In fiscal year 2023, the average caseload was nearly 2,800, with around 1,500 being children.
Despite the declining numbers, the need for assistance remains significant, according to Jessica Herrera Russell, a spokesperson for Kansas Action for Children, an advocacy group. Tens of thousands apply for cash assistance annually, with over 21,000 applications in the most recent fiscal year. In fiscal year 2015, more than 24,000 applied, while fiscal year 2017 saw over 1,200 applications denied due to exceeding the time limit, with nearly 600 cases closed for the same reason.
The advocacy group supports easing restrictions on cash assistance programs, which would require proactive engagement with lawmakers, Herrera Russell noted.
Some legislators who supported the HOPE Act still hold office, including House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, who firmly opposes revisiting the act in 2025, claiming that the reforms have been effective in encouraging employment. “The work requirement literally got people back to work — almost immediately, he asserted.
Unemployment rates in Kansas have generally decreased since 2009, except for a spike in 2020, though there has been a slight increase since 2023, according to labor department data.