This op-ed by Randy Hicks and Eric Cochling of the Georgia Center for Opportunity was published by Governing on 02/19/2025.
Most state legislatures are in session right now. And while AI, education, housing and taxes will dominate headlines, policymakers should not overlook the importance of welfare reform. In particular, they should look for ways to help recipients move out of poverty so they can thrive on their own.
Accomplishing that would go a long way toward getting the costs of welfare under control. Social services programs, including Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, are a primary driver of expanding state budgets. Welfare accounts for 45 percent of states’ direct general expenditures, the largest share of direct state spending.
In addition to the costs, the U.S. safety net system has grown increasingly complex. What started as just a handful of initiatives has evolved into a system of more than 80 programs, each with different goals, eligibility requirements and rules — a maze that is incredibly difficult for a policy wonk to navigate, let alone a recipient.