News Release: Catholic Conference Urges House Committee to Abdicate Welfare Reform Efforts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 15, 2011

(Lansing)—Citing statistics from the Department of Human Services (DHS), Michigan Catholic Conference Vice President for Public Policy Tom Hickson today urged the House Families, Children and Seniors Committee to abdicate plans to pursue increased penalties and lifetime limits within the DHS Family Independence Program, which provides state financial assistance to families with children. Hickson also included in his testimony alternative suggestions for committee members if they were adamant about pursuing welfare reform.

“According to the Department of Human Services, for 2009, out of an average monthly caseload of 65,925 there were only 531 cases of noncompliance, which is significantly less than one percent,” Hickson stated in his testimony. “Because the law came into effect so recently (enacted in 2006), we believe time needs to be taken to more fully evaluate its impact, and that the sunset should be extended with the current criteria. The current law is working and working very well.”

Legislation before the House Families, Children and Seniors Committee this morning, House Bills 4409 and 4410, would:

While urging the committee to dismiss the legislation, Hickson then urged members to consider the following:

In delivering the Conference’s opposition to current welfare reform efforts, Hickson also provided suggestions to the committee if it were to continue to pursue reform. Those suggestions included:

Prior to delivering his testimony, Hickson explained to the committee that the Conference believes the state budget is a moral document, one which demonstrates the highest priorities for the state, and that the first budgetary priority should be to protect Michigan’s poor and vulnerable citizens.

There was no vote on the welfare reform legislation before today’s committee.

Michigan Catholic Conference is the official public policy voice of the Catholic Church in this state.

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