The Arkansas Senate Monday passed HB1775 that expands the work requirement for food stamp recipients, but not before a rather heated exchange between Republican Senator Scott Flippo of Bull Shoals and Democratic Senator Joyce Elliott of Little Rock. Flippo is the bill’s Senate sponsor. They raised their voices during the exchange and talked over each other. Lieutenant Governor Tim Griffin, who presides over the Senate, on several occasions had to remind the Senators that only one could speak at a time.
The bill applies to those under the age of 60 who have no children or whose children are at least 6 years old and requires them to take part in an employment and training program.
Elliott was asking Flippo about what residents should do who live in areas where jobs are not readily available. Flippo said, “They might have to go to areas of the state where jobs are available.” Elliott said, “Don’t talk to me like poor people are any less than we are.”
Under the proposal, the state would have to cover transportation costs related to the program. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports Mary Franklin, director of the state Department of Human Services Division of County Operations, says that cost will be about $6.4 million per year with the federal government covering half of the cost.
Flippo told the Senate the state Department of Workforce Services would have three years to implement the training programs, which would be located in all 75 counties.
Click here to watch the video of the exchange between Flippo and Elliott. (begins at 5:31:20)
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