The department shall make payments without direction on the warrant, without a letter or agreement as a condition of receiving the payment, or without any other notification that the recipient must use the money in a specified way or for specified purposes. The department may not:

1. (1) Direct that all or part of the assistance payments be applied to specific bills or for the purchase of specified foods or services;
2. (2) Require that the recipient submit receipts for the purpose of showing how the recipient spent all or any part of the assistance payments;
3. (3) Require the return of all or part of the aid to families with dependent children payments to the department or for use in a designated way determined by the department; or

4. (4) Provide service to a recipient's creditor or assist a creditor in the collection of the recipient's debt.

   The department shall inform the client of the client's rights to an unrestricted payment.

Source: SL 1975, ch 16, § 1; 7 SDR 66, 7 SDR 89, effective July 1, 1981 ; 52 SDR 55, effective December 2, 2025 .

General Authority: SDCL 28- 6-1 .

Law Implemented: SDCL 28- 6-1 .

Prior versions effective: 1981-07-01.