ATLANTA — The Georgia Senate Tuesday approved a bill that would expand eligibility for the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program in Georgia to pregnant women.
Currently, federal law allows very low-income pregnant women to receive the cash assistance, but Georgia law does not. The new bill would change that, said Sen. Mike Hodges, R-Brunswick, the bill’s chief sponsor.
“Expanding eligibility to pregnant women would continue to build on the steps Georgia’s taken to improve maternal health for low-income populations, such as extending Medicaid postpartum coverage to 12 months,” said Hodges.
There are 5,343 households in Georgia currently relying on TANF, with an average monthly benefit of $280, Hodges said.
“Georgia lawmakers have … taken an important step by expanding Temporary Assistance for Needy Families to pregnant women and eliminating the TANF family cap,” said Staci Fox, president and CEO of the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, a progressive think tank.
An amendment proposed by Sen. Colton Moore, R-Trenton, drew sharp criticism from Moore’s fellow Republicans, who argued it does not fit the GOP’s pro-life philosophy.
Moore’s amendment would have removed a provision from the bill that increases the amount of TANF aid if a woman becomes pregnant with an additional child while already receiving the assistance.
“I don’t feel comfortable [with] state dollars going to incentivize more children in that situation,” Moore said.
Read the full article here
