TOPEKA, Kan. — When the Kansas Legislature passed the HOPE Act in 2015—short for Hope, Opportunity and Prosperity for Everyone—lawmakers promised it would reduce dependency and encourage work. Instead, nearly a decade later, the controversial legislation has created barriers to basic survival for thousands of Kansas families—and may be fueling a rise in crime.
The law, signed by then-Governor Sam Brownback, severely restricted access to public assistance programs including SNAP (food stamps), TANF (cash assistance), and childcare subsidies. It imposed some of the strictest limits in the nation, including a 36-month lifetime cap on TANF benefits and strict work requirements that disqualify families for missing even one bureaucratic hurdle.
Governor Laura Kelly, who has long criticized the HOPE Act, took aim again last week. In a statement explaining her decision to allow House Bill 2027 to become law without her signature, she wrote:
“The HOPE Act was wrong then, and it remains wrong now. Legislators are only trying to put lipstick on a pig, and I refuse to associate myself with the HOPE Act.”
A Broken Promise
The HOPE Act’s supporters claimed it would lift people out of poverty by pushing them into the workforce. But in practice, it has often cut off aid to those who are already working low-wage jobs, or who face barriers like lack of transportation, affordable childcare, or reliable housing.
According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, many families who lost assistance under the HOPE Act did not find steady employment. Instead, they slipped further into poverty. At the same time, food insecurity among Kansas children increased, and access to essential services shrank.
Perhaps most concerning, experts warn that cutting off lifelines to struggling families can increase desperation—and with it, crime.
From Hunger to Handcuffs
As state officials tout tough-on-crime policies, they overlook the role that economic instability plays in public safety. When families are denied food, housing, and childcare, they are more likely to experience stress, homelessness, and hopelessness—conditions that correlate strongly with increased criminal activity.
Theft, drug offenses, and property crimes often rise in areas where social services are weakest. In Kansas communities where the HOPE Act has hit hardest, local leaders report growing concern over rising petty crime, juvenile offenses, and increased demands on law enforcement.
“If you can’t feed your kids, you’re going to do what you have to do,” said one Topeka community advocate who works with families affected by benefit cuts. “We’re criminalizing poverty instead of addressing its root causes.”
A Time to Reconsider
Governor Kelly has signaled that while she cannot stop every bill tied to the HOPE Act, she will not endorse it either. Her position reflects a growing call to rethink Kansas’ approach to poverty—not as a personal failing, but as a systemic issue requiring systemic solutions.
Rather than continuing to restrict support, Kansas lawmakers should consider policies that lift families up, not push them further down. Expanding access to childcare, job training, and food assistance isn’t just morally right—it’s also smart public safety policy.
Because when families are stable, communities are safer. When kids have food and parents have hope, the cycle of desperation—and the crimes born from it—can finally be broken.
