Democrats fail to modify ‘harsh’ sanctions in cash assistance bill

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From AZ Capitol Times:

Democrats tried to get rid of some strings attached to a restoration of cash assistance benefits pushed by Gov. Doug Ducey, but their efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.

The Arizona Senate Health and Human Services Committee voted Wednesday on party lines to advance HB2372, a Ducey priority sponsored by Rep. Jeff Weninger of Chandler.

The committee vote came after the Arizona House of Representatives narrowly passed the bill out of the chamber without any Democratic votes, even though a restoration to 24 months of eligibility for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families is a Democratic priority. Several Republicans in the House also voted against the measure.

The bill comes after the Arizona Legislature and Ducey lowered the time limit for TANF to 12 months in the 2015 budget, becoming the state with the shortest eligibility in the nation.

Approximately 1,800 families lost cash assistance benefits because of the time limit as of January, according to DES.

Read more at AZ Capitol Times

Corrie O'Connor