Gov. Scott Walker campaigned for reelection in 2014 on a pledge to limit how long "able-bodied, working-age childless adults can be on public assistance."
In April 2015, we rated that promise as In the Works based on his then-proposed 2015-'17 state budget. The proposed budget included two noteworthy measures on the topic.
The first one would reduce the amount of time, from five years to four, a childless adult of working age could spend on the state's Medical Assistance program.
The second would reduce the amount of time, also from five years to four, a person could be in the Wisconsin Works, or W-2, program, the state's replacement for traditional welfare.
The difference: W-2 is for parents of children who are still minors. The provision limiting the time one is allowed on Medical Assistance applies only to childless adults.
The bottom line is Walker imposed limits on the amount of time childless adults could be on public assistance, but it is worth noting that those limits were also applied to adults who have children.
We rate this Promise Kept