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Representative Wolfords bill to require documentation for public assistance is reported out of committee over objections
Summary
The House Government Operations Committee reported HB5145, which would require documentation of identity, income and Michigan residency for public assistance, after adopting an amendment that clarifies it applies to all public-assistance programs; the measure passed the panel 3-2 amid concerns about delays and federal penalties tied to current error rates.
Representative Adam Wolford urged the House Committee on Government Operations to approve House Bill 51-45, saying public-assistance eligibility "should be based on verified information, not simply self attestation." He told the committee the bill would require documentation for three basic eligibility factors: proof of identity, proof of income and proof of Michigan residency, and that the legislation would codify practices the department already performs in some cases.
"If self attestation alone worked, then why do we have verification systems throughout our society?" Wolford said, adding that he had demonstrated vulnerabilities in the current system by using publicly available information and the governors address to create a test application. He also said Michigan faces program-integrity penalties and that "we will be on the hook for a minimum of over $300,000,000 in penalties back to the federal government." Wolford told members the bill does not reduce benefits and that people who are eligible today would remain eligible under the measure.
Representative Fitzgerald asked whether the Department of Health and Human Services meets federal verification standards. Wolford answered that the committees oversight work shows an error rate above 9 percent, producing an estimated federal repayment obligation he described as between about $320 million and $350 million; he said updated DHHS error-rate reporting will be provided and cited 2027 as a target date to correct the problem.
Fitzgerald also pressed whether requiring documentation could delay benefits for people who qualify. Wolford acknowledged delays can occur under the current system, argued that requiring documentation up front could speed decisions for applicants who have documentation, and said the state has software and verification tools that can be used through portals such as MyBridges.
The chair read white cards on file showing opposition to HB5145 from the Michigan Nurses Association, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the ACLU of Michigan and the Michigan League for Public Policy; those organizations did not request time to speak but registered formal opposition on the bill record.
After discussion and adoption of an amendment clarifying the bill applies to all public assistance programs, Representative Harris moved to report the bill as amended with recommendation. The motion carried on a 3-2 roll call: Chair Bagold, Representative Harris and Vanderwall voted yes; Fitzgerald and McFall voted no. HB5145 was reported with recommendation to the full House.
The committee record shows the amendment adoption and the subsequent vote as the committees formal actions; further technical details (for example, the precise software integrations or implementation timeline) were not specified in committee testimony.
