Lawmakers pushing work mandate for food stamp recipients

BATON ROUGE - Lawmakers have advanced a proposal aimed at enacting work requirements on food stamp recipients, requirements that Gov. John Bel Edwards kept from taking effect earlier this year.



A proposal by Rep. Jay Morris, a Monroe Republican, would require legislative approval to seek a federal waiver of the work requirements for "able-bodied" childless adults. The House health committee advanced the bill Wednesday, sending it to the full House for consideration.



The Edwards administration says it has concerns about the proposal.



Republicans have criticized Edwards' decision to waive work requirements for thousands of food stamp recipients, saying the assistance should only be a short-term safety net.



Edwards' chief lawyer Matthew Block says the governor is working to make sure Louisiana has enough job training and job placement services before mandating work requirements.