Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 18, 1995                   TAG: 9501180076
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ALLEN REFORM HIGHLIGHTS

Within 30 days of joining the welfare rolls, recipients of Aid to Families with Dependent Children - a primary form of welfare - would be assigned to an unpaid or minimum-wage job in the private sector or in "workfare" - jobs in government agencies or nonprofit organizations.

They could receive AFDC benefits for two years in any four-year period. After AFDC benefits are cut off, recipients could receive one year of transitional benefits, primarily Medicaid and child care. In certain cases, authorities would be allowed to grant emergency extensions to the two-year time limit. Those exceptions would be made in areas of high unemployment.

AFDC recipients would be required to sign an "agreement of personal responsibility." The agreement would require recipients to adhere to certain obligations, including a family cap provision, which would deny additional benefits to women who have children after going on the welfare rolls.

Obligations also include a "learnfare" requirement, which would stipulate that AFDC recipients whose children do not satisfy school attendance requirements lose an undetermined portion of their AFDC benefits.

Other provisions include the minor-parent requirement, which would require minor parents and their children to live with a parent, grandparent or legal guardian - except where the mother has graduated from high school or a determination has been made that a possibility of physical or emotional abuse of the minor parent exists.

AFDC recipients also would be required to accept any reasonable job offer, and paternity would have to be established.

Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1995