TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Feb 10, 2020

Tennessee has spent $221 million from state coffers to assist poor working families rather than using federal funds through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, even though it has more than $730 million in unused TANF funds, the Tennessee Comptroller told legislators last week. News of this arrangement broke at the end of 2019, but the comptroller's testimony was the first official look at the extent of the issue. The comptroller's report also found that the state is spending just 35% of its annual federal grant. The Commercial Appeal has more on the story.