Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1939-03-16
Welfare Board In
Study OF Measure
Affecting County
Advocate Passage Of House
Bills Nos. q and 122 AZ
Annapolis

At the March meeting of the Mont
gomery County Welfare Board the
major portion of the meeting was de-
voted to discussion of welfare legis-
lation now pending in Congress and
the State Legislature. The provisions
of the Byrnes Bill now before Con-
gress were reviewed and especial in
terest was shown in the proposed Sec
ton providing for a new Social Secur-
ity category entitled "Aid to the
Handicapped, which would provide
for Federal participation in assistance
for unemployed persons not eligible to
the present Social Security categories.
Major concern, however, was shown
over two bills recently introduced in
the State Legislature. BY formal ac-
ton the board voted to write the
Montgomery County Legislators en-
dorsing House Bill No. 81 and favor
ing the defeat of House Bill No. 122.
House Bill No. 81 would establish a
new concept Of the State responsible
ity for General Public Assistance by
providing State funds on a matching
basis $50 per cent State and so per
cent local) for persons in need whose
need is caused by: l. Illness or in
capacitation; 2. Unemployability; 8.
"Death or absence from the home of
one or both parents or neglect of
children sufficient to warrant removal
by court ORDER" or A. Unemployment
when the wage Garner cannot be as
signed to work project; when he or
she is registered at the Maryland
State Employment Service and has
not refused bona-fde offer of en-
ployment from such agency" This bill
like the present Old Age Assistance
law, provides penalty for any per-
son who obtains or attempts to OBJ
tain assistance under false pretenses,
provides for recovery from the estate
of deceased recipient, and prevents
the transfer of property Of recipient
without the permission of the County
Welfare Board. These features of
State participation and recovery
from the estates of recipients would
reduce the local cost of providing ade-
quate assistance for persons eligible
for general relief under the bill.
House Bill No. 122, if enacted,
would relieve children not now furn-
ishing support for their parents of all
responsibility for providing for them
since it states that "Old Age Assist
ance shall not be refused an applicant
because some child or other person is
responsible by the laws of this State
for his or her support" This bill was
vigorously opposed by the Welfare
Board since its enactment would
greatly increase the cost of the Old
Age Assistance program in this State,
would penalize children who have as
sumed responsibility Tor their parents
support while children who have
never contributed would not be re-
quired to do SOL, and would favor
children whose parents have reached
the age of sixty-fve since the present
general laws of this State require
that children shall support parents
unable to earn their own livelihood.
children, whose parents are not yet
sixty-fve would still be required to
support their parents.)
AS result of the discussion, Mrs.
Dorothy M. Kurtz, executive secre-
tary, was directed to write Montgom-
cry County representatives Of the
Legislature, advocating the passage
of House Bill No. q and the defeat
Continued on pa1e 81