Welfare Restructuring Legislation Advances

Legislation that would allow Ventura County to restructure its welfare system received a key endorsement Wednesday from the state Assembly’s Committee on Appropriations.

“It was a unanimous vote from a Republican-dominated committee,” Supervisor John K. Flynn said. “That’s a major victory for us.”

The bill, written by state Sen. Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley), will now go to the full Assembly, then the Senate, for approval. If all goes well, the bill could be ready for Gov. Pete Wilson’s signature by early next month.

The legislation would allow the county to work more closely with employers to prepare welfare recipients to reenter the workplace quickly. And it would give the county more flexibility in how it spends money and manages social service programs.

Officials said the legislation is even more critical now that Congress has approved sweeping changes in federal welfare programs that could place a massive financial burden on states and counties.

The reform package includes provisions that would require welfare recipients to rejoin the work force within two years or lose all cash benefits. It would limit financial assistance to a lifetime total of five years.

And it would deny Supplemental Security Income, food stamps and other federal benefits for most legal immigrants until they are citizens.

Without federal help, these welfare recipients may have no choice but to turn to the county for general relief assistance, officials said.

Additional costs to the county-funded program could run more than $40 million a year, officials said.