Ruling allows state to proceed with welfare cuts

LANSING (AP) -- A group that sparked a court order to temporarily halt a round of cuts in Michigan's welfare program has lost a bid to extend the delay. The Center for Civil Justice filed a motion last week arguing that the state's most recent notices to those scheduled to lose cash assistance benefits didn't contain enough information. U.S. District Judge Paul Borman disagreed last Friday and denied the motion, meaning the state can proceed with planned cuts. The state sent out revised notices because of an Oct. 4 ruling that the original notices were inadequate. Cuts that were supposed to begin Oct. 1 have been delayed by a few weeks. Most of the affected 11,000 families will lose benefits because of an end to hardship exemptions, not a stricter four-year limit on benefits. Published: Tue, Oct 18, 2011