HB 500: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Act; increase access to and amount of benefits

Georgia's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program gives cash assistance to low-income families, but current law caps that help at a lifetime total of 48 months, with the clock running since January 1, 1997. This bill would restart that 48-month lifetime limit so it begins counting from July 1, 2026 instead, effectively giving families a fresh clock for future benefits. The bill also changes how the Department of Human Services counts a family's income and resources (property, savings, and vehicles) when deciding who qualifies. It sets a resource limit of $5,000 for an applicant, and says the value of one vehicle used for work, job training, or looking for a job does not count against that limit. A second vehicle's value would also be partly excluded, up to $4,650. All other state laws that conflict with these changes would be repealed.

• Resets the 48-month lifetime limit clock on TANF cash assistance so it starts counting again from July 1, 2026 instead of January 1, 1997.
• Sets a resource (savings and property) limit of $5,000 for a person applying for TANF assistance.
• Excludes the equity value of one vehicle from a family's countable resources if it is used for work, job training, or job search.
• Excludes up to $4,650 of the equity value of a second vehicle from a family's countable resources.
• Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with these changes.

Georgia families applying for or currently receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash assistance, especially those nearing the program's lifetime benefit limit or who own vehicles needed for work or job searching, and the Georgia Department of Human Services, which administers eligibility rules.

By restarting the benefit clock and loosening how vehicles and savings count against eligibility, more families could qualify for cash assistance or qualify for longer, and fewer applicants would be disqualified simply for owning a car needed to get to work or job training.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 49-4-182(b) so the 48-month lifetime cap on TANF cash assistance begins counting from July 1, 2026 rather than January 1, 1997.
• Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 49-4-183(b)(3) to cap countable resources at $5,000.00 for an applicant.
• Section 2 excludes the equity value of one vehicle used for work, training, or job search from being counted as a family resource.
• Section 2 also excludes up to $4,650.00 of the equity value of a second vehicle from the resource calculation.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting state laws.

1. 2026-03-06House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
2. 2025-04-04House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
3. 2025-02-26House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
4. 2025-02-20House Second Readers (House)
5. 2025-02-19House First Readers (House)
6. 2025-02-18House Hopper (House)

• Sharon Cooper (R, HD-045)Primary sponsor
• Tyler Smith (R, HD-018)
• Beth Camp (R, HD-135)
• Scott Hilton (R, HD-048)
• Kim Schofield (D, HD-063)
• Michelle Au (D, HD-050)

• welfare benefits
• TANF
• public assistance eligibility
• poverty programs
• Georgia social services