Food Stamps

Since Bill Clinton reformed welfare in 1996, convicted felons have not been able to receive food stamps. It’s a decision that has deeply divided both critics and proponents of the SNAP program, as an error-filled past makes it that much hard for ex-cons to get their lives back in order. However, many states have decided the ban just wasn’t working anymore and decided to amend it, with Missouri possibly being the latest one to get on board.

Clinton’s Monumental Decision

The mid- to late-nineties were a hugely transformative time as people started to make the permanent shift towards computers, technology and the internet. Perhaps because of the tide of change, President Clinton signed into law the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act, a bill that drastically shifted how financial aid was given to the poor.

Although poverty did decline in the late ‘90s, the bill wasn’t as much of a success as Clinton had hoped it would be, particularly because it put in place time limits and absolutes. Here are the main points of the bill that changed the landscape:

• The welfare program moved from an entitlement concept to a need-based concept
• From the second the ball got rolling, welfare recipients had two years before they had to be working
• Recipients only had five years to receive federal money, and this was a lifetime amount
• Families were encouraged to be married, instead of avoiding the certificate and raising their children that way
• Child support was more strictly regulated
• Illegal immigrants found it much more difficult to go about securing state professional and occupational licenses (although the black market still existed)

Some of the most common criticisms were that single mothers now found it much harder to raise their children than before PRWORA, and had no choice but to turn to shadier means to support their family. As well, a venture like obtaining a degree—to conceivably get off welfare—was just that much harder because welfare was slowly being yanked away.

Only Ten States Remain

As mentioned right in the beginning, most states have realized PRWORA wasn’t working as intended, and moved to change it. But 10 states still held onto parts or all of it, with the key one being felons couldn’t receive food stamps.

Now, though, lawmakers in three of them—West Virginia, Delaware and Missouri—are the latest states to hop onboard, with Missouri making big noise. The Senate in Missouri has already approved the bill, and it’s on its way to the House.

The wording of the bill doesn’t make it a free-for-all, but it does change several key elements, namely:

• Felons could become eligible to go on food stamps one year after either their conviction or release from prison
• To become eligible, they’d have to fulfill either a treatment program or have an official deem them not needing treatment
• They’d have three chances before they’re out, but this would apply to felons with drug-related convictions
• A sobriety test would be required for eligibility

While it doesn’t completely undo PRWORA from 1996, it’s several steps in the right direction, and a much-needed and long-awaited change.