Lawmakers send major social safety net overhaul to governor’s desk – Washington Examiner
Lawmakers in Louisiana have approved a meaningful overhaul of the state’s job training and public assistance programs,now heading to Governor Jeff Landry for final approval. The legislation, known as House Bill 624, aims to create a “One Door” model that integrates social safety net programs with job training services to provide recipients with easier access to both benefits and workforce development resources.
The bill received unanimous support and seeks to enhance opportunities for individuals receiving assistance to develop skills for better-paying jobs. As part of this reform, various programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), will be transitioned to different departments for more efficient management.
The Louisiana Workforce commission will oversee these changes, implementing a streamlined, case-managed system to assist beneficiaries. This initiative is inspired by similar reforms in Utah, aimed at addressing issues identified in an audit that revealed inefficiencies and low success rates among program participants.
Lawmakers highlighted the need for these reforms in light of potential federal cuts to safety net programs, emphasizing the importance of supporting education and training to help individuals secure higher-wage jobs. The full transition of workforce programs is expected to be completed by october, with disability programs moving to the Louisiana Department of Health by July of the following year.
Lawmakers send major social safety net overhaul to governor’s desk
(The Center Square) − Lawmakers have passed a bill this week that will overhaul and combine Louisiana’s job training and public assistance program in a “One Door” model. It now heads to Gov. Jeff Landry’s desk.
Breault’s House Bill 624, which was amended by the Senate, passed unanimously on Thursday. It attempts to offer individuals receiving benefits a better opportunity to develop the skills needed to obtain a well-paying job.
Lawmakers will integrate social safety net programs with job training services, so recipients can access both benefits and workforce development support through a single case-managed system led in part by the Louisiana Workforce Commission.
To do so, several programs will no longer be administered by the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Disability Determination Services, and Child Support Enforcement employment and training program.
“The thought is to streamline delivery from the state, but create a case management model. A one stop process,” Rep. Stephanie Berault, R-Slidell, said in an interview. “Anything they are eligible for, the case manager will help them get it.”
Some parts of SNAP will be moved instead to the Louisiana Department of Health. Louisiana Workforce Commissioner Susana Schowenn told The Center Square that LDH is better equipped to handle SNAP benefits. The SNAP employment and training program will be moved to LWC.
The Louisiana Workforce Commission will work closely with LDH to ensure that all benefits are delivered in as seamless a manner as possible. Berault said that they are planning to develop an online platform to help facilitate the whole process.
“There are currently 800 people doing Medicaid eligibility and 600 doing SNAP eligibility for the same people on the same system,” Berault said.
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program will be wholly administered by Louisiana Works.
The bill is modeled off of legislation enacted in Utah, which at one point operated 23 workforce programs from six different state agencies. A 1992 audit revealed a fragmented system with overlapping responsibilities and redundancies.
An audit from the Louisiana Legislative Auditor found that the majority of participants either earned less after completing programs or never found employment in their field of training. Fewer than 20% of individuals were served.
“As we contemplate potential federal cuts to safety net programs, we need a plan to protect the programs in Louisiana for those who most need them.” Berault said. “One of the primary ways we can do that is to support education and training for those who can transition into higher wage, high demand jobs.”
FUZZY MATH: SEVERAL HOUSE DISTRICTS COULD BE REDRAWN BEFORE 2026 ELECTIONS
If federal benefits are cut and too many people in Louisiana rely on what’s left from the state, there won’t be enough to go around.
In October, the workforce programs will all transfer to Louisiana Works and next July disability programs will be transferred to the Louisiana Department of Health.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Auto Amazon Links: Could not resolve the given unit type, . Please be sure to update the auto-insert definition if you have deleted the unit.