Massachusetts Lawmakers Pass Toughest Welfare Bill

A sweeping welfare bill described as the nation’s toughest easily passed the Massachusetts Legislature on Thursday, as lawmakers voted to force thousands of poor people to go work and to cut welfare checks for others.

The bill was approved by the House 133-21 and the Senate 31-3. Gov. William Weld, who has been fighting for more than a year to require welfare recipients to get jobs, said he planned to sign it today.

“It looks to be the radical reform we’ve been working for,” Weld said. “It’s going to be better for the people who are receiving the benefits because they’re not going to be stuck in that system.”

If state officials get clearance from the federal government to implement the program, Massachusetts would go further than any other state in the growing national movement to overhaul welfare, supporters of the bill said.

“It represents a total change in the way we look at public assistance,” said Democratic state Sen. Therese Murray, who spent part of her childhood in public housing.

“I think it will become a national model.”

Some 400 welfare mothers and others stormed the Statehouse to protest the action. State troopers wrestled with demonstrators trying to rush Weld’s office and eight people were arrested, one for attacking an officer.

“We’re being called irresponsible. Our children are being called illegitimate,” said Lisa Sanderson, a 26-year-old welfare mother from Framingham.

Many demonstrators called the work requirement an excuse to make them scapegoats and accused politicians of stereotyping them.