Missouri lawmakers voted Tuesday to remove several thousand families from a welfare program by imposing shorter time limits for people to receive the benefits, overriding a veto by the state's Democratic governor.
The new law will reduce Missouri's lifetime limit for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families cash assistance program from five years to three years and nine months, starting in January. The law also imposes stricter work requirements.
The Republican-led House voted 113-42 Tuesday to override Gov. Jay Nixon's veto, largely along party lines. The Senate voted 25-9 to override the veto on Monday.
Shortly after the vote, Nixon announced he had vetoed another Republican-backed bill paring back the social safety net. That bill would reduce the duration of unemployment rates from the current 20 weeks to as few as 13 weeks by linking the length to the state's unemployment rate.
Republican lawmakers already have said they will try to override the veto of the jobless benefits bill. However, the House fell short of the two-thirds majority that would be needed when the bill originally was sent to Nixon last month. The House also failed to override Nixon's veto of a similar unemployment bill last year.
Both measures are part of a push by Republicans in several states to curtail spending on social programs in a way they say encourages personal responsibility. In neighboring Kansas, Gov. Sam Brownback, a Republican, signed a measure earlier this year to prohibit spending cash assistance on recreational activities such as swimming pools and movies.
Missouri Republicans argued low-income families ultimately would benefit by receiving government aid for less time.
"They want their independence; they don't want to be in this poverty trap all their lives and they don't want their kids to be in this poverty trap. They want and they say that we can be successful if we have the tools," said Rep. Diane Franklin, R-Camdenton, who handled the bill in the House.
Approximately 3,000 families are projected to lose benefits - which are capped at $292 a month for a parent with two children - because of the lower lifetime limit starting Jan. 1, according to the Department of Social Services. Nixon said that translates to about 6,400 children.
The law will make Missouri among the top 10 states for the shortest duration of benefits.
Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, said the Legislature was "not cutting welfare" but instead "restructuring the system" and "reinvesting the savings" into such things as child care, job training and transportation for low-income families.
When Nixon vetoed the welfare bill last week, he cited concerns it would punish children for the actions of their parents by imposing sanctions on the entire family if a parent does not comply with work requirements.
Individuals would have six weeks after a face-to-face meeting with a social worker before losing half of the family's benefits. All benefits would be cut off after an additional 10 weeks. About 6,600 families could lose benefits for not meeting work requirements, according to the Social Services Department.
"The responsibility is not with the government. It's with the families. It's with the parents if they decide not to comply with the work activity requirement," said Sen. David Sater, R-Cassville, who sponsored the bill.
Democratic lawmakers said most people getting benefits are already trying to find work.
"A lot of people on social services are independent. They're just in a difficult financial situation," said Rep. Brandon Ellington, D-Kansas City.
Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, said the welfare limits could drive parents to prostitution or other crimes to provide for their families.
Some Democrats said they liked some components of the bill, including an orientation program where a person signing up for benefits would learn about other assistance available to them, a lump-sum option for families with short-term needs and the face-to-face meetings before sanctions take effect.
The legislation also would require people to engage in work activities before becoming eligible for both cash assistance and food stamps.
Missouri House roll call on override of welfare limit cuts
The 113-42 roll call vote Tuesday by which the Missouri House overrode Gov. Jay Nixon's veto of a measure to lower the lifetime limit for people to receive temporary cash assistance from five years to three years and nine months.
Voting "yes" were 111 Republicans, one Democrat and one Independent.
Voting "no" were 40 Democrats and two Republicans.
Not voting were three Democrats and four Republicans.
REPUBLICANS VOTING YES
Sue Allen, Town and Country
Mike Cierpiot, Lee's Summit
Justin Alferman, Washington
Sonya Anderson, Springfield
Allen Andrews, Grant City
Kevin Austin, Springfield
Kurt Bahr, O'Fallon
Jay Barnes, Jefferson City
Chuck Basye, Rocheport
Nathan Beard, Sedalia
Mike Bernskoetter, Jefferson City
T.J. Berry, Kearney
Jack Bondon, Belton
Rick Brattin, Harrisonville
Cloria Brown, St. Louis County
Wanda Brown, Cole Camp
Eric Burlison, Springfield
Jason Chipman, St. James
Kathie Conway, St. Charles
Steve Cookson, Poplar Bluff
Kevin Corlew, Kansas City
Robert Cornejo, St. Peters
Sandy Crawford, Buffalo
Gary Cross, Lee's Summit
Paul Curtman, Pacific
Charlie Davis, Webb City
John Diehl, Town and Country
Shamed Dogan, Ballwin
Dean Dohrman, La Monte
Tony Dugger, Hartville
J. Eggleston, Maysville
Kevin Engler, Farmington
Sue Entlicher, Bolivar
Scott Fitzpatrick, Shell Knob
Paul Fitzwater, Potosi
Travis Fitzwater, Holts Summit
Tom Flanigan, Carthage
Lyndall Fraker, Marshfield
Diane Franklin, Camdenton
Keith Frederick, Rolla
Elaine Gannon, De Soto
Don Gosen, Chesterfield
Elijah Haahr, Springfield
Marsha Haefner, Oakville
Jim Hansen, Frankford
Ron Hicks, St. Peters
Galen Higdon, St. Joseph
Justin Hill, Willard
Dave Hinson, St. Clair
Denny Hoskins, Warrensburg
Lincoln Hough, Springfield
Jay Houghton, Martinsburg
Tila Hubrecht, Dexter
Thomas Hurst, Meta
Delus Johnson, St. Joseph
Caleb Jones, Columbia
Jeffery Justus, Branson
Shelley Keeney, Marble Hill
Mike Kelley, Lamar
Bill Kidd, Independence
Nick King, Liberty
Andrew Koenig, Manchester
Glen Kolkmeyer, Wellington
Mike Lair, Chillicothe
Bill Lant, Pineville
Jeanie Lauer, Blue Springs
Mike Leara, St. Louis County
Donna Lichtenegger, Jackson
Warren Love, Osceola
Steve Lynch, Waynesville
Kirk Mathews, Pacific
John McCaherty, High Ridge
Andrew McDaniel, Deering
Joe Don McGaugh, Carrollton
Jeffrey Messenger, Republic
Rocky Miller, Osage Beach
Mike Moon, Ash Grove
Lynn Morris, Ozark
Dave Muntzel, Boonville
Jim Neely, Cameron
Donna Pfautsch, Harrisonville
Don Phillips, Kimberling City
Randy Pietzman, Troy
Patricia Pike, Adrian
Craig Redmon, Canton
Holly Rehder, Sikeston
Bill Rieboldt, Neosho
Tim Remole, Excello
Shawn Rhoads, West Plains
Todd Richardson, Poplar Bluff
Shane Roden, Cedar Hill
Rebecca Roeber, Lee's Summit
Donald Rone, Portageville
Robert Ross, Yukon
Caleb Rowden, Columbia
Lyle Rowland, Cedarcreek
Becky Ruth, Festus
Dan Shaul, Imperial
Lindell Shumake, Hannibal
Sheila Solon, Blue Springs
Chrissy Sommer, St. Charles
Bryan Spencer, Wentzville
Kathy Swan, Cape Girardeau
Jered Taylor, Nixa
Rob Vescovo, Arnold
Nate Walker, Kirksville
Bill White, Joplin
John Wiemann, O'Fallon
Kenneth Wilson, Smithville
David Wood, Versailles
Anne Zerr, St. Charles
DEMOCRATS VOTING YES
Ben Harris, Hillsboro
INDEPENDENTS VOTING YES
Keith English, Florissant
REPUBLICANS VOTING NO
Nick Marshall, Parkville
Jeff Pogue, Salem
DEMOCRATS VOTING NO
Joe Adams, University City
Ira Anders, Independence
Lauren Arthur, Kansas City
Bob Burns, Affton
Michael Butler, St. Louis
Jon Carpenter, Kansas City
Mike Colona, St. Louis
Pat Conway, St. Joseph
Courtney Curtis, Berkeley
Brandon Ellington, Kansas City
Alan Green, Florissant
Penny Hubbard, St. Louis
Jacob Hummel, St. Louis
Kip Kendrick, Columbia
Jeanne Kirkton, Webster Groves
Michele Kratky, St. Louis
Jeremy LaFaver, Kansas City
Deb Lavender, Kirkwood
Karla May, St. Louis
Gail McCann Beatty, Kansas City
Tracy McCreery, Olivette
Tom McDonald, Raytown
Kevin McManus, Kansas City
Margo McNeil, Hazelwood
Sue Meredith, St. Louis County
Bonnaye Mims, Kansas City
Gina Mitten, Richmond Heights
Genise Montecillo, St. Louis County
Judy Morgan, Kansas City
Mary Nichols, Maryland Heights
Charlie Norr, Springfield
Bill Otto, Maryland Heights
Sharon Pace, Northwoods
Joshua Peters, St. Louis
Tommie Pierson, Bellefontaine Neighbors
John Rizzo, Kansas City
Joe Runions, Grandview
Clem Smith, Velda Village Hills
Rochelle Walton Gray, Black Jack
Stephen Webber, Columbia
REPUBLICANS NOT VOTING
Linda Black, Desloge
Bart Korman, High Hill
Mark Parkinson, St. Charles
Noel Shull, Kansas City
DEMOCRATS NOT VOTING
Randy Dunn, Kansas City
Kimberly Gardner, St. Louis
Stacey Newman, Richmond Heights