Thank you so much for signing up to get updates on FreeFrom’s National Survivor Financial Security Policy Map and Scorecard. We’ve been busy adding 7 NEW policy categories and fine-tuning a few of the current ones!
Our New Policy Categories
- Spousal support exemption
- Guaranteed income
- State tax filing protections
- Services and protection for undocumented survivors
- Health insurance accessibility
- Access to the state’s policymaking process
- State tax credits
Our Updated Categories
Economic Abuse Defined in State Laws
Added model policy characteristics:
- The state’s definition includes controlling, regulating, and depleting a survivor’s financial resources;
- The state’s definition includes damaging a survivor’s credit or ability to obtain credit; and
- The state’s definition includes preventing a survivor’s access or ability to access financial resources and other resources including the ability to work and/or ability to pursue education or job training.
Safe Workplaces
Added model policy characteristics:
- Employers are prohibited from requiring survivors or job applicants in general to include credit report information on job applications.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Accessibility
Added model policy characteristics:
- All applicants are required to receive information about special considerations and exemptions for survivors; and
- Case managers are required to provide special considerations to survivors.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Accessibility
Added model policy characteristics:
- All applicants are required to receive information about special considerations and exemptions for survivors; and
- Case managers are required to provide special considerations to survivors.
Coerced and Fraudulent Debt Protections
Added model policy characteristics:
- The state’s definition of identity theft includes coerced and fraudulent debt and economic abuse
Rental Protections
Added model policy characteristics:
- Survivors are eligible for early lease termination regardless of whether a known harm-doer is on the rental lease agreement;
- Eviction protections remain in place regardless of whether a known harm-doer has entered the property and/or rental unit; and
- Landlords are held liable to the tenant for any damages resulting from violating rental protections stated in the law.
Added adverse policy characteristics:
- Frequent calls to law enforcement or complaints related to IPV incidences label a property as a “public nuisance”.
Are you interested in partnering with us to pass legislation in your state? Contact Sabrina Hamm (she/her), our Director of State Policy and Advocacy at sabrina.hamm@freefrom.org.