A Florida Republican lawmaker wants to create more incentives for people who get welfare to look for work. The legislation passed a House committee Thursday.
Rep. Dane Eagle, R-Cape Coral, argues some Florida residents who get temporary cash assistance are looking for handouts. Eagle鈥檚 proposal would crack down on recipients who aren鈥檛 spending enough time doing job-related activities by extending the time they must go without benefits.
Rep. Rene Plasencia, R-Titusville, said parents who aren鈥檛 developing job skills are creating another generation of poverty.
鈥淭hen what are they teaching their children," he said. "And what they鈥檙e teaching their children is to continue with those bad habits. Even if it鈥檚 unintended, that鈥檚 what they鈥檙e teaching their children.鈥�
Karen Woodall, with the Florida Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy, said cutting off food stamps and cash assistance for a month instead of 10 days for a first violation could make poor families homeless.
鈥淭here are huge gaps about how people know about the program, what they鈥檙e able to do, what鈥檚 available in different communities," she said. "And I鈥檓 sure that the last thing anybody wants to do is to put these families at greater risk then they鈥檙e already experiencing.鈥�
It also adds a $5 fee to replace food stamp cards after a fifth is requested in a year. Eagle and supporters of the measure say works requirements are tailored to the person and they have to be good stewards of taxpayer money.
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