The Groundbreaking Welfare Law You Probably Haven’t Heard Of

Positive news never seems to get the same attention as negative news, especially when it comes to the government. But something happened in Idaho earlier this year that deserves to be shouted from the rooftops—they passed one of the most significant welfare reforms of any state.

The new law closes three specific loopholes in the food stamp program, proudly standing up for the taxpayers and incentivizing work rather than making excuses or shying away from a challenge. 

This is no small change: There are more than 100,000 Idahoans on food stamps, including tens of thousands of adults who are fully able to work. 

Employment and training

The law requires that all able-bodied Idahoans without young children across the state who receive food stamps either work or participate in the state’s existing employment and training program. Currently, only about 35 percent of able-bodied food stamp enrollees work at all, and of them, only about six percent work full time. Work requirements have been proven to promote work and independence and expanding support for work to more able-bodied Idahoans will undoubtedly impact Idahoan families for generations to come.

No more waivers gone wild

Idaho’s welfare reform bill also requires the Department of Health and Welfare to seek legislative approval before submitting waivers to the ABAWD (able-bodied adults without dependents) work requirement. Across Idaho, able-bodied adults without dependents ages 18-49 are now required to work, train, or volunteer 20 hours a week in order to receive their food stamp benefit, unless the legislature grants approval of a waiver of the ABAWD work requirements. Food stamps are an important resource for the truly needy. It’s meant as a helping hand to those who truly need it, and Idaho will no longer be one of the states using and abusing waivers to get people out of the work requirement—especially when economic conditions don’t warrant it.

No good cause is a no-go

It also closes a loophole used by bureaucrats called the “no-good-cause” exemption, which had allowed Idaho to exempt up to 12 percent of those ABAWDs from the work requirement without any reason whatsoever.

Work requirements as a condition of receiving benefits enjoy widespread support in Idaho and across the country:

• 75% …of likely voters support this work requirement for cash welfare benefits and taxpayer-funded public housing.
• 74% …of likely voters support this work requirement in food stamps, including two-thirds of likely Democrat voters (66%).
• 70% …of likely voters support this work requirement in Medicaid, including more than two-thirds of likely Independent voters (68%).

Strong leadership made a difference for Idaho, and we have Rep. John Vander Woude, Sen. Julie VanOrden, Speaker Mike Moyle, and Sen. Carl Bjerke to thank for shepherding this bill across the finish line. 

Idaho took a stand. 

Now, it’s up to other states to follow suit.

Learn more about the FGA’s work in Idaho here, and keep following FGA for the latest developments on this issue.