New Mexico Legislators, under Republican Gov. Susana Martinez, are now considering mandatory Community Service requirements to receive Food Stamp benefits.
Community Service, which for decades has been a staple alternative to Jail, providing low level criminal offenders an opportunity to supply restitution to the community rather that doing jail time, is now being considered for SNAP applicants.
New Mexico is considering applying that same criminal sentencing alternative too Recipients of Snap benefits (Food stamps). They are considering mandating extra requirements for those seeking Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The state is proposing that people between the ages of 16 and 60 with children older than six years of age must complete 80 hours of community service per a month. In an act compassion, uncommon for Republicans, Pregnant women and the disabled would be exempt from the mandate.
Back in 2011,the state New Mexico made their first attempt at demonizing the Poor with House Bill 210 that required drug testing for welfare benefits which died in committee due to public outcry.
We have to give credit where credit is due, The Republicans do take a sadistic pleasure in kicking somebody once they are down as this move proves. Adding an 80 hour mandatory work requirement will certainly leave a lot of free time for Job searches by food stamp recipients.
This push originally started in 2009 on the national level with Federal work requirements imposed by a republican controlled congress.
"These requirements are not new. They were in existence in 2009 and all we are really doing with this is restoring those previous government requirements," said Matt Kennicott, spokesman for the state Human Services Department.
In 2009 New Mexico got a waiver from federal work requirements tied to SNAP benefits. The state believes the new work requirements will actually help families by getting people jobs and allowing them to learn new skills.”
In a state that leads the nation in child hunger, some fear the changes would have a devastating effect on some families. Once again, the Republicans are proving that they are totally clueless on what the meaning of "Family Value " is.
Perhaps New Mexico SNAP applicants should cut out the middle man and report directly to the Probation and Parole officers because it appears that New Mexico Republicans are once again well on their way to criminalizing poverty.
Source : KOAT The Washington Post