
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, February 11, 1995                   TAG: 9502140036
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ROBERT LITTLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

SENATE PANEL ALTERS WELFARE PLAN

The Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services on Friday approved a modified version of the Democratic welfare reform plan passed this week by the House of Delegates.

The committee changed the plan to make it conform to the Republican measure preferred by the full Senate. The 10-5 vote came despite strong objections from some Democrats.

But Friday's vote may be virtually meaningless. Next week, a House committee is likely to change the Senate's Republican welfare reform bill to make it look like the Democratic proposal.

A conference committee then would hammer out a compromise.

``Stay tuned,'' said Sen. Joseph Gartlan, D-Fairfax County, who voted against the Republican plan.

Republican Sen. Mark Earley of Chesapeake sponsored the GOP measure, which is backed by the Allen administration. It would force able-bodied adult recipients younger than 60 to work within 30 days of receiving their first checks. The plan would be phased in over five years but wouldn't begin until July 1996.

The Democrats' plan adds to a welfare overhaul package that passed last year but never was implemented by the Allen administration. It includes much of the same philosophy as Allen's initiative but moves more slowly and has less stringent work requirements. Recipients of Aid to Families with Dependent Children would get a year of education or training before they must accept a job.

The Associated Press contributed information to this report.

Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1995

by CNB