A press release from State Rep. Barbara Wheeler:

Illinois House Republicans Unveil Welfare Reform Proposals

Normal… House Republican Leader Tom Cross and House Republican lawmakers unveiled a package of legislation designed to reduce fraud and misuse of the state’s welfare system today. The lawmakers were in Normal Tuesday to announce their legislation with State Representative Dan Brady (R-Bloomington).

The welfare reform package focuses on reducing the fraudulent use of LINK cards (food stamps), the misuse of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (cash) benefits, and preventing criminals from receiving welfare benefits. The goal of the legislation is to save taxpayer dollars and preserve benefits for those most in need.

“The General Assembly needs to pass strong welfare reforms now to put a stop to the waste, fraud and abuse of the welfare system,” said Rep. Adam Brown (R-Champaign). “With 4.7 million Illinoisans on welfare, more than one-third of our citizens are receiving taxpayer-funded benefits. Welfare costs are skyrocketing while Illinois faces an ongoing fiscal crisis. We must work to reverse this trend.”

House Bill 133 ensures that a person using a LINK card is the authorized user. The proposal would require all LINK cards to display a photo of the cardholder to ensure that the person presenting it at the checkout counter is the same person who is entitled to use it. The names of all secondary users will also be placed on the card. Secondary users will be required to show a valid photo I.D. before they can use the card.

“This program is so important to those in need that we must make sure people who are not entitled to benefits are not fraudulently obtaining them. Putting photographs on the LINK cards is one way we ensure that the intended benefits go to the intended recipients,” said Dan Brady (R-Bloomington).

House Bill 2784 guarantees that cash assistance benefits are used for the basic needs that they are intended for. TANF benefits are intended to provide financial assistance to help pay for basic needs such as food, shelter, utilities, and other necessary expenses, however under current law a person is free to spend this cash without restrictions. The legislation would prevent TANF benefits from being used to purchase alcohol, lottery tickets, firearms, and other specified goods and services.

“The TANF program is designed to assist those families that simply need a little help,” said Rep. Pam Roth (R-Morris). “Unfortunately there are those that abuse this system and use the benefits to purchase non-essential items such as lottery tickets, alcohol, concert tickets, gambling games, and even movie rentals. House Bill 2784 will ensure that TANF benefits are being used for their intended purpose, for families that need a helping hand.”

House Bill 3174 and House Bill 2490 would prevent criminals from receiving aid. These bills would suspend public aid and benefits to inmates at State correctional facilities and recipients with outstanding warrants.

“The reason we are all here is to make sure that those who deserve these vital services, receive these vital services,” said Rep. Barb Wheeler (R-Crystal Lake). “We are in the middle of a financial crisis here in Illinois. We cannot ask our public servants, teachers, and taxpayers to carry the load of Illinois’ debt while criminals are receiving state benefits.”

“These are common sense proposals that need to be considered in Springfield during this spring session,” said House Republican Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego). “We need to make sure that our system is not being abused so that the people, who need these services most, have access.”