HELENA — Two Montana House committees have issued subpoenas to state welfare workers to look into allegations that the state is qualifying people for welfare benefits without proper verification.
The chairmen of the House Human Services Committee and a budget panel on human services confirmed to Lee Newspaper of Montana on Friday they had issued the subpoenas to have the workers testify before their respective panels on Monday.
Rep. Art Wittich, of Bozeman, says he’s heard state public-assistance workers have been “pushed” to approve people for benefits like food stamps, Medicaid and welfare payments without verification.
State Department of Public Health and Human Services spokesman Jon Ebelt says the allegations are false.