Welfare Reform May Go To Voters Saying It’s ‘Time To Act,’ Gop Makes Threat In Face Of A Possible Veto By Locke

Republican legislative leaders said Monday they would send their proposed overhaul of the welfare system to voters if Gov. Gary Locke vetoes the measure.

The announcement came amid accusations from each side that the other had failed to negotiate in the past week.

The Democratic governor said he still believes a compromise can be worked out in the remaining two weeks of the session. He also said it would be poor policy to send the fat proposal to voters because it would be hard for them to understand the many complex issues in the bill.

“We’re so close” to agreement, Locke told reporters. “I want to sign a welfare reform bill.”

He said lawmakers sent him the measure, HB3901, last week before negotiations were finished.

But Senate Health and Long Term Care Chairman Alex Deccio, R-Yakima, said Locke had failed to negotiate and lawmakers sent him their proposal because “it was time to act.”

Locke has until late Thursday to sign or veto the measure.

If he chooses the latter, Deccio said, the proposal will be put to the people in June.

The areas of disagreement between Locke and the Republican-led Legislature are actually quite small.

They agree on the big issues, including a five-year time limit for being on welfare, a requirement that all able-bodied recipients work, and various temporary supports for those going to work.

Among differences are the level of child-care payments for working parents and the extent of aid offered to legal immigrants.

In other action Monday, the House approved:

SB5460, barring associations who receive more than 50 percent of their income from public funds to support or use any of their facilities for or against a ballot proposition or candidate for public office.

HB2264, to eliminate the Health Care Policy Board, which was created two years ago as a successor to the Health Services Commission.