Assembly OKs GOP-Backed Welfare Cuts

The Assembly on Monday approved major slashes in California welfare benefits, passing a dozen measures that represent Gov. Pete Wilson’s plan for overhauling what adherents call an out-of-control system.

Though not all of the tough measures were supported on party-line votes, the daylong debate frequently erupted in partisan emotional outbursts, as the GOP-driven measures were adopted one by one. The session became more bitter as it wore on.

“Why not just take them out and shoot them,” said liberal Democrat John Burton of San Francisco, sarcastically referring to welfare recipients targeted in a fraud bill. Burton actually forced the house to vote on one such amendment. It was easily defeated.

Although the outcome on most votes was never in doubt in the Republican-controlled Assembly, measures such as cutting welfare to uniform rates regardless of family size and removing cash benefits entirely in other cases face certain trouble ahead.

Signals already have emerged from the Democratic-controlled state Senate that many of Wilson’s programs will be defeated during committee hearings.

Additionally, the governor’s proposed welfare cuts depend in large part on receiving block grants of cash from Washington, which is considering turning over to the states most federal welfare policies. The proposals, however, thus far have made little progress in Congress.

Republican Assembly Speaker Curt Pringle began the day with a press conference in which Eloise Anderson, Wilson’s director of social services and a frequent spokeswoman for overhauling welfare, reiterated the central thrust of the plan.

The lead bill in the welfare package, AB 3140, she said, is based on doing away with the “deprivation policy” of favoring families deprived of a breadwinner; on making welfare payments no higher than the minimum wage; setting time limits of two to five years, after which welfare payments cease; and cutting cash benefits to recipients considered incapable of handling money wisely.

The measure was approved 42-32, with its author, Assemblyman Tom J. Bordonaro Jr. (R-Paso Robles), declaring: “We’re going to have a carrot and stick approach” to moving welfare recipients off the rolls and into jobs, “and this is the stick.”

Responded Assemblyman Tom Bates (D-Berkeley): “Republicans are saying they don’t care about safety nets for the needy. They’re saying, let them live out of the garbage cans of our society.”

Compassion for the poor, replied Assemblyman Jim Battin (R-Palm Desert), is not best provided with the welfare check. “If it takes a kick in the butt” to make recipients go out and look for a job, he said, then so be it.

Other measures in the package of welfare bills included a proposal to continue benefits to eligible children of illegal immigrants, but would eliminate cash payments to the family. Too much of that cash “is leaving the country,” said the bill’s author, Assemblyman Phil Hawkins (R-Bellflower). He said alternatives being considered include vouchers or sending the funds in care of a third person.

Another bill would allow counties to deny general assistance benefits to applicants convicted of drug offenses and who refuse treatment, and would authorize counties to submit applicants to a state background check for outstanding criminal warrants.

Two measures among the Republican bills seek to attack welfare fraud, each by permanently disqualifying people from benefit eligibility if they cheat the system.

A bill by Assemblyman Gary G. Miller (R-West Covina) would require cutting off family welfare payments to recipients who quit three jobs or refuse three job offers while on the assistance rolls.

Another of the measures would set up pilot programs in five counties--San Diego, Sutter and three to be named later--to take away current cash incentives of $100 to $500 to encourage teen mothers to stay in school under the statewide Cal-learn program set up by Wilson. Supporters said the program could be just as effective using other incentives.

A related bill seeks to tie a family’s grant to school attendance by asking the state Department of Social Services to seek ways to reduce truancy of welfare children.

Some bills are aimed specifically at counties, which administer state and federal welfare programs. One measure would reward counties by allowing them to keep half the savings they achieve in administering assistance to the poor, if they, for example, come up with new and cheaper computer systems to keep track of welfare records.

In other action, the Assembly voted 44-28 to allow smokers to light up in bars and gambling clubs for up to three more years.

A 1994 law banned smoking in most workplaces, but authorized it in bars, taverns and gambling clubs until Jan. 1, 1997. The bill by Assemblyman Sal Cannella (D-Ceres) extends that exemption until Jan. 1, 2000. The measure now goes to the state Senate.