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What's new with SEED?The SEED Initiative hosted a productive and engaging semi-annual state policy meeting in St. Louis on October 19. Highlights from the meeting include: Policy Design. The meeting featured an assessment of current policy proposals and legislation to create universal accounts from birth. Participants compared proposals and legislation to a set of criteria for strong CSA policy. A matrix of federal legislation and proposals, selected international policy and the SEED for OK Kids experiment design was developed by the SEED Advisory Board. It will be available shortly. A matrix developed by CFED that uses a similar framework to assess six pieces of proposed or enacted state legislation is available here. CFED also developed a guide to crafting CSA legislation, which details elements common to most CSA legislation, provides an analysis of pros and cons of various approaches, and includes actual examples of state legislation. Click here to view the legislative guide. Implementation of CSAs. With recent CSA policy achievements at the state level, another topic of discussion was the challenge and political reality of implementing CSA legislation or a large-scale program. SEED state and national partners working in three different states—Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma—presented on their progress, decisions and challenges to implement an initiative in their respective states. Communications materials. CFED developed and shared a number of communications resources in advance of the semi-annual meeting, including: a memo on CSAs and the immigration debate; a one-pager on child asset poverty, which includes state-by-state data; and a PowerPoint presentation that summarizes recent public opinion research findings on asset building. Peer learning. The meeting also featured opportunities for state partners and other CSA advocates to network with and learn from one another. States represented at the meeting were Arkansas, California, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. **** Policy Developments. California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 1078 on October 13, affording applicants to the state’s TANF program, CalWORKS, the same asset protections as program recipients. AB 1078 exempts restricted accounts—including 529 plans, Coverdells, IRAs, 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, and 457 plans—from consideration in determining applicants’ eligibility for CalWORKS benefits. This bill follows legislation signed into law in 2006 (AB 2466) exempting restricted accounts from asset tests for current recipients. Click here to read AB 1078. ***** |
Save Baby Save Bill would set up kids' accounts Baby bonds would pay bipartisan dividends Idea of 'baby bonds' isn't necessarily out of left field ASPIRE Act Would Establish KIDS Accounts to Help Children Save |
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This bulletin is designed primarily for CFED's Partners in the SEED Initiative; however, other policymakers, advocates and practitioners may also find it useful. Please feel free to share it either by forwarding this e-mail or by sending us suggested additions to our mailing list. We welcome your feedback and suggestions. |
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