GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1991

H	1 

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 394

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Sponsors: Representatives Mercer; Smith and Warner.

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Referred to:  Rules, Appointments and Calendar.

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March 28, 1991

A JOINT RESOLUTION URGING CONGRESS TO CONTINUE WELFARE REFORM TO ENABLE MORE PEOPLE TO AVOID LONG-TERM WELFARE DEPENDENCY.
Whereas, the Family Support Act of 1988, generally referred to as Welfare Reform, was enacted by Congress and signed into law on October 13, 1988; and
Whereas, the major thrust of the Family Support Act was to begin to change the current system of welfare income maintenance into a system that helps welfare families achieve self-sufficiency; and
Whereas, the Family Support Act represents the most substantive revision of the nation's welfare system since its inception in the 1930's; and
Whereas, the process of reform begun by the Family Support Act must be continued as there are still far too many families in North Carolina and throughout the nation struggling unsuccessfully to avoid long-term welfare dependency;
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
Section 1.  The General Assembly of North Carolina urges Congress to continue the excellent progress towards welfare reform begun by the Family Support Act of 1988.  This continued progress should include:
(1)	The provision of more incentives to families to find permanent employment and avoid long-term welfare dependency; and
(2)	The provision of more, essential financial and support-service assistance to these families.  This support-service assistance should include:
a.	More accessible programs that provide education and training needed to help them to find suitable permanent employment; and
b.	More accessible day care programs for their children to enable the working family members to remain employed, to advance in their employment, and to keep enough of their income to keep them from falling back into welfare dependency. 
Sec. 2. The General Assembly further urges Congress specifically to consider more creative methods of income management that will enable more people not only to have better living conditions, less poverty, but to enable them to get off and stay off the welfare roles.  This consideration should include:
(1)	Allowing all families receiving any welfare payments or benefits the opportunity to earn up to a certain set amount annually, such as three thousand six hundred dollars ($3,600) per each family member, without having any welfare benefits reduced; and
(2)	Acknowledging, in any methodology adopted, that full-time permanent employment at the federal minimum wage cannot be considered to supply most families with enough income to enable them to avoid long-term welfare dependency.
Sec. 3.  The Secretary of State shall transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the members of the United States Congress representing North Carolina and to the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and the Secretary of the United States Senate.
Sec. 4.  This resolution is effective upon ratification.