1. (a) A needy child is eligible for TANF.
2. (b) Repealed.
3. (c) Repealed.

4. (d)

   1. (1) A minor child otherwise eligible for TANF benefits under this section, who has been, or is expected by a parent, guardian, or other caretaker to be absent from the home for more than 90 consecutive days shall be ineligible to receive TANF benefits unless the Mayor determines, in accordance with rules promulgated by the Mayor, that there is good cause for the child to be absent from the home for more than 90 days and continue to receive TANF benefits.
   2. (2) A parent, guardian, or other caretaker of a minor child shall be determined ineligible to receive TANF benefits if the parent, guardian, or caretaker fails to notify the Mayor of the absence of the child from the home after the 5-day period beginning with the date on which it becomes clear to the parent, guardian, or caretaker that the child will be absent from the home for more than 90 consecutive days.
5. (e) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to preclude the Mayor from sanctioning any or all members of an assistance unit for failure to comply with TANF program rules, if such sanction is otherwise permitted under this this chapter; provided, that no sanction under this subchapter, or regulations implementing this subchapter, shall exceed 25% of the assistance unit's TANF benefits.

History

Apr. 6, 1982, D.C. Law 4-101, § 518, 29 DCR 1060

Apr. 20, 1999, D.C. Law 12-241, § 2(u), 46 DCR 905

Dec. 17, 2009, D.C. Law 18-94, § 2(c), 56 DCR 8521

Apr. 8, 2011, D.C. Law 18-370, § 522(c), 58 DCR 1008

Dec. 13, 2017, D.C. Law 22-33, § 5002(c)

Dec. 6, 2025, D.C. Law 26-55, § 5062(b)

Emergency Legislation

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 522(d) of Fiscal Year 2011 Supplemental Budget Support Emergency Act of 2010 (D.C. Act 18-694, January 19, 2011, 58 DCR 662).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2(c) of Public Assistance Emergency Amendment Act of 2009 (D.C. Act 18-198, October 9, 2009, 56 DCR 8132).

For temporary amendment of section, see § 2(u) of the Self-Sufficiency Promotion Emergency Amendment Act of 1998 (D.C. Act 12-372, June 9, 1998, 45 DCR 4270), § 2(u) of the Self-Sufficiency Promotion Legislative Review Emergency Amendment Act of 1998 (D.C. Act 12-425, July 31, 1998, 45 DCR 5682),§ 2(u) of the Self-Sufficiency Promotion Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 1998 (D.C. Act 12-552, December 24, 1998, 46 DCR 521), and § 2(u) of the Self-Sufficiency Promotion Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 1999 (D.C. Act 13-19, February 17, 1999, 46 DCR 2492).

For temporary amendment of section, see § 2(g) and (x) of the Public Assistance Emergency Amendment Act of 1998 (D.C. Act 12-306, March 20, 1998, 45 DCR 1900).

For temporary amendment of section, see § 2(g) and (x) of the Public Assistance Emergency Amendment Act of 1997 (D.C. Act 12-25, February 27, 1997, 44 DCR 1778), and § 2(g) and (x) of the Public Assistance Legislative Review Emergency Amendment Act of 1997 (D.C. Act 12-77, May 27, 1997, 44 DCR 3181).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 5002(c) of Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-104, July 20, 2017, 64 DCR 7032).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 5002(c) of Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-167, Oct. 24, 2017, 64 DCR 10802).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 5062(b) of Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2025 (D.C. Act 26-146, Sept. 3, 2025, 72 DCR 9623).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 5062(b) of Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2025 (D.C. Act 26-210, Nov. 24, 2025, 72 DCR 13514).

Temporary Legislation

For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 2(u) of Self-Sufficiency Promotion Temporary Amendment Act of 1998 (D.C. Law 12-230, April 20, 1999, law notification 46 DCR 4143).

For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 2(g) of Public Assistance Temporary Amendment Act of 1998 (D.C. Law 12-130, July 24, 1998, law notification 45 DCR 6501).

For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 2(x) of Public Assistance Temporary Amendment Act of 1997 (D.C. Law 12-7, August 1, 1997, law notification 44 DCR 4639).

Effect of Amendments

D.C. Law 18-370, in subsec. (d), substituted “TANF” for “federally-funded TANF”.

D.C. Law 18-94 rewrote subsec. (a) and repealed subsec. (b).

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 3-205.18.