Introduced
by
To require more rigorous tracking of welfare recipients by the Department of Human Services with the goal of determining how long they have been on welfare at various times. Also, to require the department to meet a goal of 50 percent of welfare recipients complying with the work requirements of welfare reform. The bill also would revise various requirements and procedures related to recipients who allowed to meet the work requirements through job training or education programs.
Referred to the Committee on Families and Human Services
Reported without amendment
With the recommendation that the bill pass.
Substitute offered
To replace the previous version of the bill with one that adds additional exceptions to the four-year welfare cap for individuals who are not able to work for various reasons, and additional circumstances that "stop the clock" on the four-year limit. The tolling of that time limit would be suspended if the unemployment rate in the recipient's county was 9 percent or more (vs. 10 percent in previous proposals).
The substitute passed by voice vote
Passed in the Senate 22 to 16 (details)
To impose a 48 month lifetime limit on cash welfare payments to able-bodied recipients (with a number of exceptions), and establish recipient tracking, work and training requirements that conform with the limit. A one-year extension could be granted under certain conditions. Sanctions would be imposed on recipients who fail to comply with work and training requirements (three months of no benefits for the first two failures, and one year for a third violation). The bill establishes more exceptions to the sanctions and the four-year cap than <a href="http://www.michiganvotes.org/2005-HB-5438">previous time limit legislation</a> vetoed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Exceptions include mothers of a child less than age three, people who are temporarily disabled, or when the county unemployment rate exceeds nine percent. The four-year cap would not be retroactive. Recipients could also earn more by working without losing benefits than under current law.
Referred to the Committee on Families and Childrens Services
Substitute offered
by
To replace the previous version of the bill with one that contains the results of negotiations between Republican and Democrat legislators on a welfare time limit proposal. See the House-passed version for details, and also House Bill 6580.
The substitute passed by voice vote
Passed in the House 103 to 0 (details)
To establish that an able bodied person may only collect cash welfare payments for 48 months during their lifetime, subject to exceptions defined by the Department of Human Services. (Previous welfare time limit bills vetoed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm did not grant the department this power to create exceptions.) The proposed statute itself contains exceptions for individuals who are mentally or physically disabled, have low intelligence or learning disabilities, and other conditions. This bill contains “clock stoppers” on the time limit, such as whenever the unemployment rate in the county a recipient lives in exceeds the state average by 25 percent. See also House Bill 6580.
Passed in the Senate 35 to 1 (details)
