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Senate advances bill requiring individualized training for public assistance recipients
Summary
The Utah Senate advanced SB153, sponsored by Sen. Filmore, which would ask recipients to participate in individualized counseling or training as a condition of continuing some public benefits after 90 days; supporters said it promotes self-reliance while opponents warned it could harm children who rely on SNAP.
Sen. Filmore moved SB153 forward on the Senate floor, saying the bill’s purpose is to promote self-reliance among public assistance recipients by directing the Department of Workforce Services (DWS) or approved providers to offer individualized training and counseling. "The goal of public assistance programs is and ought to be to help individuals who are in either temporary or permanent need of assistance to achieve a greater degree of self sufficiency and self reliance," Filmore said on the floor.
Supporters told the Senate the measure carries no fiscal note because existing DWS contracts and community providers can deliver the services at no additional cost to the state. Filmore repeatedly emphasized the training would be tailored: individuals temporarily laid off, people with limited education, or persons incapacitated by illness would receive different counseling and expectations.
Opponents focused on how the requirement could affect families that receive SNAP and other federal benefits. "Food stamps really is not for the adults. It's for children," Sen. Escamilla said, arguing that conditioning participation could end up reducing children's access to basic food. Other senators cautioned that some federal programs would require waivers and that DWS must request those waivers if necessary.
After extended floor debate, the Senate reported a roll-call tally that advanced SB153 to the third-reading calendar: 23 yea, 5 nay, 1 absent. The bill sponsor had moved the first substitute to the third-reading calendar on the floor earlier in the day.
