Committe Endorses Changes to State's Welfare Laws
       A Beacon Hill committee on Tuesday advanced the latest chapter of welfare reform, a proposal intended to increase work requirements for existing recipients in compliance with new federal standards, exempt some disabled recipients from work requirements, and prevent the state from potentially losing federal funds.
       Supporters of the bill say they expect it to clear the House and Senate sometime before Sept. 30, when Massachusetts’ waiver with the federal government will expire. According to a summary of the bill, it changes the way welfare programs are funded “in order to preserve our present policies without risking federal penalties by funding benefits for certain recipients through a separate program that is funded only with state dollars.”
       The Legislature’s Committee on Children and Families approved the bill on a voice vote.