or Login to see your representatives.

Access Candidates' and Representatives' Biographies, Voting Records, Interest Group Ratings, Issue Positions, Public Statements, and Campaign Finances

Simply enter your zip code above to get to all of your candidates and representatives, or enter a name. Then, just click on the person you are interested in, and you can navigate to the categories of information we track for them.

[x] close
Print Track This Legislation

Key Votes

HB 1261 - Repeals the General Assistance Cash Program - Key Vote

Pennsylvania Key Votes

John Lawrence voted Yea (Concurrence Vote) on this legislation.

Read recent statements John Lawrence made in this general time period.

Stages

Family

Issues

Stage Details

Legislation - Signed (Executive) -

Title: Repeals the General Assistance Cash Program

Signed by Governor Tom Corbett
Legislation - Concurrence Vote Passed (House) (102-91) - (Key vote)

Title: Repeals the General Assistance Cash Program

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that repeals the General Assistance cash program.

Highlights:
  • Repeals the General Assistance cash program, effective August 1, 2012 (Sec. 3).
  • Continues the General Assistance-Related Categorically Needy Medical Assistance program (Sec. 3).
  • Limits eligibility for the medical assistance program to individuals who have lived in Pennsylvania continuously for 90 days preceding their eligibility and who are eligible for federally-funded assistance (Sec. 6).
  • Specifies that an individual is “medically needy” if he or she meets the certain criteria including, but not limited to, the following (Sec. 6):
    • The individual is under the age of 21;
    • The individual is at least 59 years of age or older;
    • The individual is pregnant;
    • The individual is disabled and is receiving social security benefits or is waiting for the determination of eligibility for the benefits; or
    • The individual is working at least 100 hours per month earning at least minimum wage.
  • Requires an individual to apply for 3 jobs a week in order to be eligible to apply for the medical assistance program, unless the applicant can demonstrate a “good cause” for not complying (Sec. 4).
  • Requires an applicant for the medical assistance program to continue seeking employment until he or she has secured paid employment of at least 20 hours per week (Sec. 4).
  • Specifies that if a cash assistance recipient does not meet certain requirements then his or her entire assistance group will be disqualified from the program as follows (Sec. 6):
    • Following the first violation, the recipient has 90 days to comply before the assistance group is disqualified;
    • Following the second violation, the recipient has 60 days to comply before the assistance group is disqualified; and
    • Following the third violation, the assistance group will be permanently disqualified.
  • Establishes a block grant pilot program that allocates funds to county based-human services departments to meet service needs of certain county residents, including but not limited to, the following (Sec. 12):
    • Individuals with intellectual disabilities;
    • Individuals in need of drug and alcohol treatment services;
    • Individuals who are homeless or in immediate risk of becoming homeless; and
    • Other individuals who are eligible based on income or age criteria.
See The Voting Record

Legislation - Bill Passed (Senate) (31-18) - (Key vote)

Title: Repeals the General Assistance Cash Program

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that repeals the General Assistance cash program.

Highlights:
  • Repeals the General Assistance cash program, effective August 1, 2012 (Sec. 3).
  • Continues the General Assistance-Related Categorically Needy Medical Assistance program (Sec. 3).
  • Limits eligibility for the medical assistance program to individuals who have lived in Pennsylvania continuously for 90 days preceding their eligibility and who are eligible for federally-funded assistance (Sec. 6).
  • Specifies that an individual is “medically needy” if he or she meets the certain criteria including, but not limited to, the following (Sec. 6):
    • The individual is under the age of 21;
    • The individual is at least 59 years of age or older;
    • The individual is pregnant;
    • The individual is disabled and is receiving social security benefits or is waiting for the determination of eligibility for the benefits; or
    • The individual is working at least 100 hours per month earning at least minimum wage.
  • Requires an individual to apply for 3 jobs a week in order to be eligible to apply for the medical assistance program, unless the applicant can demonstrate a “good cause” for not complying (Sec. 4).
  • Requires an applicant for the medical assistance program to continue seeking employment until he or she has secured paid employment of at least 20 hours per week (Sec. 4).
  • Specifies that if a cash assistance recipient does not meet certain requirements then his or her entire assistance group will be disqualified from the program as follows (Sec. 6):
    • Following the first violation, the recipient has 90 days to comply before the assistance group is disqualified;
    • Following the second violation, the recipient has 60 days to comply before the assistance group is disqualified; and
    • Following the third violation, the assistance group will be permanently disqualified.
  • Establishes a block grant pilot program that allocates funds to county based-human services departments to meet service needs of certain county residents, including but not limited to, the following (Sec. 12):
    • Individuals with intellectual disabilities;
    • Individuals in need of drug and alcohol treatment services;
    • Individuals who are homeless or in immediate risk of becoming homeless; and
    • Other individuals who are eligible based on income or age criteria.
See The Voting Record

Legislation - Bill Passed (House) (166-34) -
Legislation - Introduced (House) -

Title: Repeals the General Assistance Cash Program

Sponsors

  • Thomas J. 'Tom' Quigley (PA - R) (Out Of Office)

Co-sponsors

About Project Vote Smart

Help Us If You Can

Media & Communications

Education

For Candidates

One Common Ground, Philipsburg, MT 59858 Hotline: 888-Vote-Smart (888-868-3762)
All content © 1992 - 2013 Project Vote Smart unless otherwise attributed - Privacy Policy - Legislative demographic data provided by Aristotle International, Inc. Mobile Version

Back to top