Siefert backs off on welfare penalties

03/18/2005

March 17, 2005 (AP)—A nonsmoking legislator who wanted to penalize welfare recipients for smoking backed off the toughest parts of his plan Thursday.

Rep. Marty Seifert, R-Marshall, said he’ll drop provisions to cut income and raise medical copayments for smokers on public assistance and government health-care programs. He aims to win DFLers’ support with pilot programs helping pregnant welfare recipients quit smoking.

“I have to have something that passes,” Seifert said after presenting his bill to the House Jobs and Economic Development Committee. “The penalties aren’t going to pass.”

Democrats said the original bill—which would have required all Minnesota welfare recipients who smoked to participate in smoking cessation programs—was punitive.

“This bill could be labeled ‘poor people are stupid,’ “ said Rep. Michael Nelson, DFL-Brooklyn Park. “What’s next? Are we going to ask them if they wear their seat belt? Do you speed? I just have problems with this.”

Even the committee’s chairman, Republican Rep. Bob Gunther, said penalizing smokers would be harsh. Gunther said quitting smoking was the hardest thing he ever did.

Seifert—who said he opposes a statewide smoking ban—said taxpayer dollars shouldn’t be used for smoking because it leads to higher health-care costs for the state. The House panel didn’t vote on the proposal. Seifert said he plans to come back to the committee with a scaled-back plan that doesn’t contain sanctions for smoking.

Two years ago, Gov. Tim Pawlenty tried to prohibit welfare recipients from using food stamps to buy junk food. The U.S. Department of Agriculture rejected the plan, saying it would stigmatize those who get food stamps.

Welfare rights advocates said the smoking restrictions would discriminate against the poor.

“They certainly aren’t smoking to stick it to the Minnesota state government,” said Linden Gawboy of the Minnesota Welfare Rights Coalition. “Smoking is an addiction.”