Sen. Rush on Passage of Welfare Reform Legislation

On Thursday the Massachusetts Senate passed legislation to make needed improvements to the welfare system, by closing loopholes and implementing the tools and resources needed to help recipients reach economic independence.

“I am pleased that the Massachusetts Senate has passed a comprehensive piece of welfare reform legislation focused on the issue of EBT fraud,” said state Sen. Mike Rush, D-Norfolk/Suffolk District via statement. “I look forward to working with my House colleagues to send to the Governor a piece of legislation that will bring integrity back to a system and where assistance to our most vulnerable is kept in place.” 

“We have been working on this issue since September, talking to stakeholders and advocacy groups and doing our due diligence to bring thoughtful changes to the welfare system,” said state Senate President Therese Murray, D-Plymouth via statement. “The changes approved in this bill will provide those who are ready and able to work with the support needed to move forward and live independently. Helping our residents enter the workforce and lead successful and self-sustaining lives will help our economy grow and will support the overall health of the Commonwealth.” 

With the proposed legislation, applicants are required to search for a job before receiving cash assistance, which would replace current regulations that provide recipients with a 60-day window after they start receiving benefits before being required to look for a job. 

This bill also creates a job diversion program through DTA and the Commonwealth Corporation "to connect able-bodied individuals with full-time jobs before they start receiving benefits." 

The bill gives funding for DTA to hire additional caseworkers, as well as additional fraud unit investigators and requires DTA to have specialists assigned to help high-risk recipients with a maximum caseload of 60.

The bill also also helps with rent payments, to help recipients overcome the “cliff effect,” the bill develops an asset development program through DTA to allow recipients to save money for first, last and security rent payments and for education. This savings would not be counted against the asset limit of $2,500 and will support recipients as they transition out of the welfare system. 

The legislation is also looking to help pregnant teens by allowing pregnant teens to be eligible for the Teen Living Program at the start of their pregnancy. Current regulations dictate pregnant teens must be 120 days from their due date to be eligible for a Teen Living Shelter Program.

The bill also closes loopholes that help individuals to stay on welfare instead of working. The following was provided by state Sen. Rush's office:

• Requires the calculation of the five-year cap on the family rather than separate for each parent and requires DTA to develop specific criteria that must be met in order for a recipient to receive a waiver of the family cap for extraordinary circumstances;
• Reduces the period for an extension of benefits beyond the 24-month period from six months to three months;
• Changes the number of days in which a temporary absence from Massachusetts creates a presumption that Massachusetts residency has been abandoned from 60 to 30 days;
• Changes the exemption from the work requirement for recipients who are age 60 or older to age 66;
• Changes the exemption from the work requirement for women in the last four months of pregnancy to the last month of pregnancy unless the woman has a documented medical issue;
• Requires self-declarations to be signed under the penalties of perjury and prohibits self-declarations from being used as the only verification of eligibility;
• Requires work participation forms to be verified by a third party under the penalties of perjury;
• Institutes a three-month time limit on placeholder social security numbers and suspends benefits for individuals who do not provide a valid social security number within the time limit; and,
• Requires DTA to refer cases involving multiple even dollar transactions or full benefits withdrawals to DTA’s Program Integrity Division or to the Bureau of Special Investigations in the Office of the State Auditor.

The bill makes several changes to the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards by requiring photographs of recipients 18 and older on EBT cards by August 1, 2014.  

In addition, the bill would require DTA to make additional reports to the Legislature on the number of exemptions and extensions granted; how long recipients have been receiving benefits; cases referred to the program integrity unit and the results of their investigations; and more. 

The bill now goes to the House of Representatives.