Mitchell, Brown call for welfare reform (Illinois?)

[thundley4]

DECATUR — State Rep. Bill Mitchell announced a number of bills he and other GOP state lawmakers are pushing that would include, among other things, mandatory random drug testing and photo identification for people on public assistance and making “junk food” ineligible for purchase with food stamps.
State Rep. Adam Brown joined Mitchell in the lobby of the Department of Human Services office in Decatur as several people stood in line waiting for service. The two lawmakers spoke about the legislation they said would bring needed reforms to Illinois welfare.

“In the last eight years, people on public assistance in Illinois have gone up from 1.5 million to 2.3 million,” Mitchell said. “What we want to do is make welfare resemble work. Right now, we have a culture of dependency in Illinois.”
Spanning several proposals, the reforms also would ban illegal immigrants from service under the All Kids health insurance program and require “putative fathers” to reimburse the state for the cost of health care for the birth of out-of-wedlock children.

The representatives had no estimate for any potential cost associated with creating photo IDs for LINK cardholders or random drug testing, but said they believe it would be worth it to crack down on abuse.
Brown said random drug testing is performed on employees at regular jobs, and those drawing from the system should be held to the same standard.

Herald-Review

I don't think any Republican would have seriously considered this in the past. It's a good time to push for it when people have seen their state income tax jump 66%.

[Ballygrl]

I totally think photo ID and drug testing should be mandatory. In NJ when you go to a Doctors office you have to show a photo ID, the office has to copy it and keep it on file, too many people were giving out their health insurance cards to other people.

[JohnnyReb]

I totally think photo ID and drug testing should be mandatory. In NJ when you go to a Doctors office you have to show a photo ID, the office has to copy it and keep it on file, too many people were giving out their health insurance cards to other people.

Went to the doctor a few months ago and they wanted a photo ID....same reason given.

[Evil_Conservative]

You can't ask for a photo ID and a drug test for welfare benefits.  That goes against our constitutional rights!

/ end DU mode