(GOP) Bill would require welfare recipients to show residency proof (Maine)

[jpak]

http://www.pressherald.com/news/Bill-calls-for-citizenship-proof-for-welfare.html

A legislative committee is taking up a bill requiring an applicant for state assistance to show proof of legal residency in the United States and in Maine for at least 90 days.

<snip>

Naples Republican Rep. Richard Cebra's bill says an applicant for state assistance under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, the MaineCare program or the food stamp program must be a legal resident of the United States and a resident of Maine.

A separate bill before the committee imposes a 90-day residency requirement in order to receive MaineCare, the statewide food supplement program, TANF program and municipal general assistance.

<more>

[SoCalDem]

1. I don't see this as unreasonable

If someone is asking for state aid, they ought to at least have legal residency there.. If 90 days is the legal definition of residency, then that's how long they should have lived there.

With funds diminishing, it's only sensible to try & make sure your own citizens have first crack at funds available.

[Lance_Boyle]

2. Right. What is the problem with this?

Don't all states require you to be a legal resident to obtain state aid?

[Yo_Mama]

7. I don't either. n/t

[jwirr]

10. I don't either and I have been a recipient for years. By the way when

you go in to apply of welfare all kinds of programs are usually included in one application (food stamps, cash assistance and medical assistance) and the worker asks for a birth certificate or other proof of who you are. That certificate is then a permanent part of you file. I have lived in NE, IA and MN and it was required in all these states long before this became an issue.

The 90 day wait is to keep residents from other states that have bad programs from moving just to get the better benefits. I am assuming that this does not include food stamps since that is a federal program. Also every application I have ever filled out has a first page asking if this is an emergency and if you need immediate help. Also workers usually have a time period in which they have to finish the case file - 45 days in MN - so this gives them more time. With the case overload that may help the workers at least.

[ejpoeta]

3. i know where i live you have to show that you are a citizen or legal resident,

a resident and that you have no assets.

[ipaint]

4. I guess starving for up to three months is proper penance for the crime of poverty

according to conservative asshole politicians in Maine and some folks here.

[peace13]

6. Some people have no idea of the bureaucracy of it all.

In Ohio it took two visits to the DMV and over three hours to get on Ohio ID, not even a drivers license for my sister. We had her birth certificate, Social security card and a valid drivers license. I can not imagine how frustrating it would have been if we were trying to get food and lodging. The experience was a real eye opener. And I agree with you the crime of poverty...?

[trotsky]

11. Glad I'm not the only one who was wondering about the responses above.

Yikes.

[SoCalDem]

16. Here's the deal.. If you are broke, jobless & poor where you ARE

moving elsewhere may not be a good idea, unless you have family/friends there who will put you up for a while until you are established/find a job/qualify for assistance.

Most people do not just pack up their stuff and wander from place to place, looking for assistance from people who don't know them, and who will expect them to prove they are eligible.

It may be not the most charitable way to look at it, but a better plan may be to stay put, rely on facilities/programs where you ARE qualified, and then try like hell to re-establish income and THEN maybe look elsewhere for a better situation..Moving is expensive, even for people who are not flat-broke.. It's usually foolish to move when you are indigent, unless you plan to camp out & go the survivalist route.

[trotsky]

20. So we should punish people who do?

Maybe they move back to Maine to be with family - who are also struggling mightily?

I am really disturbed when the "blame the victim" game starts up on DU.

[ipaint]

23. Oh good more impossible hoops to jump through.

More punishments for being poor. As a person who received food stamps in a state with no time limit on residency your specific rules for being poor the proper way along with the conservative tea party politicians proposed 90 day starvation program in Maine are right wing bullshit.

[jwirr]

18. Food stamps is not a state program. It is a federal program so I

doubt they can make them wait any longer than it takes to process the form. State programs are usually thought of as cash assistance. I am not sure about medical assistance but I do know that medical assistance usually pays 3 months back bills.

[sinkingfeeling]

5. I also don't see this a huge problem. I know a woman who applied for benefits in 3 separate states

and got them for a while!

To those who fear someone who just moved into a state will starve, there are emergency funds available until the official state programs begin.

[peace13]

8. Go figure if the states can't have a database that is shared!

It is more than time that we protect our resources while serving the people in a fair and humane way!

[pnwmom]

14. Where are the emergency funds available for 3 months? n/t

[ipaint]

19. Yup and reagan knew a welfare queen.

One thing about conservatives, if you are advocating for the underclass they always personally know someone who abuses the system and use it as an argument against compassion in order to punish the majority of good people who happen to be poor too.

It's one of their most glaringly disgusting traits.

[sinkingfeeling]

31. So you think it's fine for somebody to take benefits that should go to people who really need them?

[ipaint]

34. A small minority of people cheat EVERY system.

Using that fact to punish the majority who don't through tighter restrictions, punishing rules and over the top regulations is classic right wing nuttery.

Are you willing to let the small number of "cheaters" keep those who truly are desperate for help homeless and starving?
The repub teabagger politicians in maine seem fine with that.

[sinkingfeeling]

35. You say that anybody should be able to get benefits without proof they live in a state? I don't see

limiting a state's limited amount of money to those who actually live there as 'over the top regulation'. Who is getting punished by enacting the same requirement that the majority of states already have?

[justabob]

9. strange that they don't already

I know I had to bring in all kinds of residency info when I applied years ago. I don't see why this is an issue. You have to prove residency for all kinds of stuff, 90 days is not long. Colleges require a full year to establish residency for instate tuition. If Maine was requiring a year or more for social services help then some outrage might be justified, but 90 days doesn't seem so bad.

[Gormy Cuss]

12. Prove residency when you're indigent.

You don't have utility bills in your name.
You may not even be a legal resident of wherever you sleep at night.

What's really going on here is that the Teabaggers and other conservatives don't like the way the complexion of the state has changed in the past twenty years. Sudanese, Somalis, and Latinos just don't look like the natives of the Lakes Region.

[justabob]

25. I didn't say it was easy

I had a hell of a time doing it 15 years ago. I don't even remember how I managed it. I was homeless at the time, and pregnant, but I did have driver license/ids on record since age 16. Yes it is a huge pain in the ass, even with a ream of official papers. Perhaps someone should suggest a better way of proof than through utility bills and state ids?

[Gormy Cuss]

32. Here's a novel thought. Require people to sign an affidavit under penalty of law.

That's the way it used to be done before the War on the Poor resumed.

[ipaint]

13. 90 days with little to no food.

Let me know when you make it through.

[jwirr]

21. Please reread the article - state programs do not include food stamps

which is a federal program. State welfare is usually cash assistance.

[ipaint]

28. I did.

"Naples Republican Rep. Richard Cebra's bill says an applicant for state assistance under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, the MaineCare program or the food stamp program must be a legal resident of the United States and a resident of Maine.

A separate bill before the committee imposes a 90-day residency requirement in order to receive MaineCare, the statewide food supplement program, TANF program and municipal general assistance."

The "statewide food supplement program" IS food stamps.

More info:
http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/OIAS/snap/faq.html#definition

[jwirr]

30. I would guess this is not constitutional. When I had a problem with

food stamps I had to have someone in Chicago, the regional office, help me out with it. The state was required to stop doing what they were doing. However, it seems that a lot of states are trying to say that state law overrides federal law. I used to think Maine was a reasonable state that supported federal laws.

[Yo_Mama]

39. You'd be entitled to food stamps!

That's federal requirements, surely?

[trotsky]

15. I love going back to this quote that really gets to the point...

of how Republicans & Democrats differ.

Democrats would rather see a few people cheat than let anyone starve. Republicans would rather see a few people starve than let anyone cheat.

[jwirr]

24. Then I guess this welfare user is a rethug today. It you bother to read

the article it says state programs which are usually cash assistance. Food stamps is a federal program and they cannot change the rules - congress and the WH do that.

[ipaint]

33. I did bother to read and look into it further.

Lawmakers want to change welfare, but are the changes constitutional


"Among the most controversial are two bills that deal with residency requirements for anyone seeking food stamps, benefits through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, or TANF, as well as benefits through MaineCare, the state’s Medicaid program.

LD 1294, sponsored by Rep. Stacey Guerin, R-Glenburn, would require those seeking assistance to show documentation proving they have been a resident of Maine for at least 90 days."

http://new.bangordailynews.com/2011/04/21/politics/welfare-reforms-a-plenty-but-obstacles-await/?ref=relatedBox

None of those saying "I agree with the teabag politicians" seem to have before judging those poorer than them.

[pnwmom]

17. How will a person who moved to a new place and quickly lost a job

and is now homeless ever be able to show residence?

[jwirr]

27. Now that is the real problem with this idea just like voter IDs. Homeless

people often do not have ID either because they lost it or they are far from the state where that ID is located and they do not have the money to get it. If governments want to do this then they have to provide free IDs for the poor. That will take care of the voter restrictions also. Government would have to take the info and research it themselves if they want it - on the application they ask enough questions to obtain a birth certificate and the government should be required to verify it just like they do income. It is an ID issue not a welfare issue.

[eleny]

22. 90 days is too long to wait for assistance

Imo, this is a ploy to keep people in need away from Maine.

[Lance_Boyle]

26. Why would Maine want to take in other states' indigent and pay for the priviledge?

I don't see this as unfair at all - if the State provides the aid then it is a no-brainer that you should be a legal resident of the State to receive the aid. Maybe you should lobby your State govt to take in everyone on State assistance in other places - I'm sure your fellow taxpayers would jump right in line behind you on that one.

[eleny]

36. Having worked in social services for the better part of 30 years I've seen a lot of people in need

It's an educated conclusion.

[Cassandra]

29. Why would the indigent move to Maine...

just to get the benefits? Are the benefits so great that they compensate for the climate and lack of jobs? One would think they would head to states either warmer or with better benefits. Sounds like a look-tough law.

[Marrah_G]

37. They don't already do this?

I had to show birth certificates and social sec cards, licenses etc when I went on public assistance in Mass and RI in my younger days. I remember it being a real hassle running around getting everything.

[jpak]

38. Some background - several years ago we had in influx of refugees from Somalia & Sudan into Maine

Although they will deny it - that has a lot to do with the indignation of the Morans on this issue

yup