2006 Senate Bill 1501 ↩

Senate Roll Call 768: Passed

To impose a 48 month lifetime limit on cash welfare payments to able-bodied recipients (with a number of exceptions), and establish recipient tracking, work and training requirements that conform with the limit. A one-year extension could be granted under certain conditions. Sanctions would be imposed on recipients who fail to comply with work and training requirements (three months of no benefits for the first two failures, and one year for a third violation). The bill establishes more exceptions to the sanctions and the four-year cap than <a href="http://www.michiganvotes.org/2005-HB-5438">previous time limit legislation</a> vetoed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Exceptions include mothers of a child less than age three, people who are temporarily disabled, or when the county unemployment rate exceeds nine percent. The four-year cap would not be retroactive. Recipients could also earn more by working without losing benefits than under current law.