The State Assembly has given the final legislative OK to an advisory referendum about welfare being on the April ballot in Wisconsin. The question will ask whether childless, non-disabled adults should have to look for work in order to receive welfare benefits.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, (R-Racine County) descended to the floor of the chamber to claim the state has a "workforce crisis," and that more people need to get a job.
"We've got to find people to do their part to pull the wagon," Vos said.
Rep. Christine Sinicki (D-Milwaukee) said the referendum isn't necessary.
"This is already law, and it is enforced. Somebody who's on unemployment insurance, if they're offered a job, they have to take it, or they lose their benefits. Granted, much of that was waived during COVID, but it's put back in place," Sinicki said.
Democrats say putting a welfare question on the April ballot is just aimed at trying to get more conservatives to the polls and back one of the conservative Supreme Court candidates.
That's if, one of them survives the February Supreme Court primary.
Editor’s note: A portion of the audio is from WisconsinEye.
