A new food stamp reform bill signed into law now requires at least 20 hours of work activity for able-bodied adults to receive food stamps, according to a report from KFOR in Oklahoma City.
Governor Mary Fallin signed House Speaker T.W. Shannon’s major welfare reform initiative into law Tuesday (April 30).
House Bill 1909 requires able able-bodied individuals, ages 18 to 50, who are not disabled or raising a child, to perform at least 20 hours of work activities as a condition of receiving food stamps. HB 1909 will go into effect Nov. 1.
These work requirements come from the 1996 Welfare Reform Law.
Under federal law, unemployed individuals are able to receive food stamps for up to 90 days. After 90 days, these able-bodied persons must fulfill the 20 hour work requirement to continue to receive food stamp benefits.
Currently, able-bodied individuals do not have to fulfill work requirements due to waivers handed out by the federal government. This bill will prohibit DHS from seeking those work requirement waivers. Click here to read more from our sister station KFOR.com.
