---
title: HB 500. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Act; increase access to and amount of benefits
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb500
cite_as: HB 500, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb500
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb500.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb500/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70424
date: 2026-03-06
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 319
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb500.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 500
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-02-18
last_action: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
sponsors:
- Sharon Cooper
- Tyler Smith
- Beth Camp
- Scott Hilton
- Kim Schofield
- Michelle Au
text_version: Comm Sub
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB500/2025
upstream_id: 1974404
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- welfare benefits
- TANF
- public assistance eligibility
- poverty programs
- Georgia social services
---
# HB 500. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Act; increase access to and amount of benefits
## Text
The House Committee on Public and Community Health offers the following substitute
to HB 500:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 9 of Chapter 4 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to the "Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Act," so as to increase the amount
of benefits; to revise the income and resources of an applicant that may be considered to
determine eligibility; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 9 of Chapter 4 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the
"Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Act," is amended in Code Section 49-4-182,
relating to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program created, by revising
subsection (b) as follows:
"(b) Assistance shall be provided in accordance with the state plan and any future
amendments thereto. Cash assistance to a recipient who is not a minor child and who is a
head of a household or married to the head of a household shall be limited to a lifetime
maximum of 48 months, whether or not consecutive, beginning January 1, 1997
July 1, 2026."
SECTION 2.
Said article is further amended in Code Section 49-4-183, relating to administration of article
by department, promulgation of rules and regulations by board, and duties of department, by
revising paragraph (3) of subsection (b) as follows:
"(3) Consideration of the income and resources of an applicant for assistance in
determining eligibility; provided, however, that the resources of an applicant for assistance
shall not exceed $5,000.00, provided that the equity value of one vehicle per family shall
not be counted as a resource of the family if the vehicle is used for work, training, or
education preparatory to employment or job search; provided, further, that an exclusion of
the equity value of one additional vehicle up to $4,650.00 is allowed;"
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia House bill would reset the 48-month clock on cash welfare benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program and raise the amount of savings and vehicle value a family can have while still qualifying.
### Plain-language summary
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.
### What it does
- 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.
### Who it affects
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.
### Why it matters
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.
### Key provisions
- 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.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-02-18)
- Last action: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (2026-03-06)
- Sponsors: Sharon Cooper, Tyler Smith, Beth Camp, Scott Hilton, Kim Schofield, Michelle Au
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70424
> The history, votes, and amendments (319 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb500.md?full=1