[FOXNEWS] A bill that would decriminalize welfare fraud under $25,000 in Caliphornia, an impregnable bastion of the Democratic Party, for simple administrative errors is being pushed by a Democratic politician.
State Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas introduced Senate Bill 560, which would delete criminal penalties for welfare fraud below $25,000, and delete a provision for criminal penalties for any attempt at welfare fraud below $950, according to the legislation, which was introduced in February.
"California's safety net should lift families up, not trap them in poverty," Smallwood-Cuevas told Fox News Digital. "Right now, a missed deadline or paperwork mistake can lead to felony charges that tear families apart — even when there's no intent to deceive."
The politician said the bill "offers a smarter, more humane approach by allowing counties to resolve most overpayment cases administratively, holding people accountable without criminalizing poverty." |