Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the Senate on November 10, 2005, to establish penalties for a welfare recipient who fails to abide by the “family independence plan contract” requirements specified by Senate Bill 892. For the first violation the person would lose welfare payments for a month; for two months on a second violation; and two years for a third. This would not apply to disabled people or those who meet certain other requirements

The vote was 24 in favor, 11 opposed and 3 not voting

(Senate Roll Call 634 at Senate Journal 107)

Click here to view bill details.

Senator Jacobs asked and was granted unanimous consent to make a statement and moved that the statement be printed in the Journal. The motion prevailed. Senator Jacobs' statement is as follows: I think I made pretty clear my feelings about this bill and I really did want to vote for this bill. However, without the Jacobs amendment--which, by the way, I just received a few minutes ago a call from the administration. The Governor is in full agreement with the Jacobs amendment and feels that it did give the flexibility that we really needed to have in this package. Without that amendment, unfortunately, I'm going to be voting "no" on this bill. My hope is that, as this moves through the House, we can do what is the best public policy for the people in Michigan, and that we can move forward and make some changes.

Rep. Lemmons III, having reserved the right to explain his nay vote, made the following statement: "Mr. Speaker and members of the House: I voted 'no' for SB 893 (S-2) because providing information to recipient's whose benefits may be terminated about other resources which may exist will do very little in these hard economic times to help a family with no income or resources put food on their table or pay their rent."