Cooperative federalism: Welfare reform in Florida

State governments and the federal government, working together, implement more policy innovation in welfare reform. When the federal government dominated welfare policy, only three acts passed, all 20+ years apart--the 1935 Social Security Act, 1964 Economic Opportunity Act and 1988 Family Support Act. Then states, like Florida, became more involved in welfare reform through state waivers after the Family Support Act. Money, voter perceptions, and the states avoidance of becoming welfare magnets led to the shift of control to the states. All of their actions had to be approved by federal government state waivers. Florida, being influenced by the federal welfare dependency and culture of poverty ideologies did more in the next few years than the federal government did in the 60 years prior. The federal 1996 Welfare Reconciliation Act continues the partnership by them still working together and more policy innovation continuing to to be seen in welfare reform.