LePage Looks to Write Welfare Restrictions into State Law

Gov. Paul LePage has imposed a number of restrictions on welfare recipients through the rulemaking process. Now he’s pushing a proposal that would cement those reforms into law, making it more difficult for future governors to change them.

Work requirements, photos on electronic benefit cards, a ban on allowing repeat felony drug offenders to get food stamps — these are just a few of the rules that have been put into place by the LePage administration. And LePage says he wants them to stay in place after he leaves office.

“They can also be reversed by the next governor. That is why it is so important to make these commonsense reforms permanent in state law. We want Mainers to keep moving from poverty to prosperity long after I am gone,” he says.

Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew says the reforms embraced by the bill have been successful and should be continued in the future, regardless of who is serving as governor.

Read more: http://mainepublic.org/post/lepage-looks-write-welfare-restrictions-state-law#stream/0