TANF and SNAP

Exempted payments made to Native Americans under various public laws include, but are not limited to, the following:

Distributions from Native Corporations made under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) (Public Law [PL] 92-203 and Section 15 of PL 100-241).

Funds distributed per capita or held in trust by the Indian Claims Commission for members of Indian tribes, as follows: Grand River Band of Ottawa Indians (PL 94-540); Income to certain tribal members from land held in trust by the United States government (PL 94-114, Section 6); Income resulting from provisions of PL 92-254; and Red Lake Band of Chippewa (PL 98-123, Section 3) or Assiniboine Tribe of the Fort Belknap Indian Community, and the Assiniboine Tribe of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation (PL 98-124, Section 5).

Funds distributed by the Secretary of the Interior to tribal members from: tribal trust funds on a per capita basis (PL 98-64); or judgment funds up to $2,000 per year, per person, from claims against the United States and held in trust or distributed on a per capita basis (PL 93-134, as amended by 97-458).

Payments by the Indian Claims Commission to the: Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Penobscot Nation, and the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians or any of their members [Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980, PL 96-420, Section 9(c)]. Confederated Tribes and Bands of Yakima Indian Nation or the Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation (PL 95-433). Seneca Nation or its members (Seneca Nation Settlement Act of 1990, PL 101-503). Blackfeet, Gros Ventre, and Assiniboine tribes of Montana (PL 97-408). Saginaw Chippewa of Mississippi [PL 99-123, Section 6(b)(2)].

Payments to the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Arizona (PL 97-403).

Payments $2,000 per year, per person, to heirs of deceased Indians made under the Old Age Assistance Claims Settlement Act (PL 98-500).

Exception: Money given to Native Americans from gaming revenues (such as from casino profits, race tracks, lotteries, etc.) is not exempt under these laws. Gaming revenues are counted as unearned income.