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Show Welfare Roll Secrecy Lift Goes Before Legislature; Study Approves Nine states have abolished secrecy sec-recy of welfare rolls since Con- gTess adoped the amendment to the Social Security laws permitting permit-ting the states to allow public inspection, according to a research re-search brief released by Utah Foundation, the non profit tax research agency. Following recommendations rec-ommendations of the Governor and Utah State Welfare Commission, Com-mission, legislation has been introduced in-troduced in Utah to remove the state prohibition of the inspe-tion inspe-tion of welfare rolls by Utah citizens cit-izens and taxpayers. The Utah Foundation brief emphasizes em-phasizes that unrestricted access to welfare records is not contemplated. con-templated. The proposed legislation legisla-tion embodies major safeguards against abuses. The Federal provision pro-vision making it possible for states to permit inspection of their rolls requires the states to prohibit the use of the names for any commercial or political pur. poses. The states which have enacted en-acted statutes permitting inspection inspec-tion have made abuse of information infor-mation obtained a criminal offense. of-fense. These states control rigidly the circumstances under which the rolls may be Inspected. Illinois, for example, under a law enacted in 1951, permits inspection in-spection of welfare rolls only after the person desiring access signs an application form declaring declar-ing his purpose is neither political poli-tical nor commercial. Improper use of information obtained is punishable by fine up to $1,000, or jail sentence up to six months, or both. As to the effect of the Illinois law, an official news release of th State of Illinois dated Dec. 11 1952, states: "Weighing the results of one full year in which all state public pub-lic assistance rolls have been open to public inspection, the Illinois Public Aid Commission is convinced no mistake was made in lifting the secrecy formerly imposed by law." The Utah Foundation report quotes Governor Adlai Stevenson, Democratic presidential nominee who told the 1952 National conference con-ference of Social Workers in May 1952, that the Illinois law has been beneficial in two important import-ant respects: "1. It has scotched irresponsible irrespon-sible rumors that relief rolls were loaded with persons undeserving of public assistance. "2. It has deterred many ineli-gibles ineli-gibles from trying to get on the relief rolls. "Both," he said, "have been im pcrtant factors in easing the job of relief administration." States, in addition to Illinois, which have to date enacted laws permitting inspection of public assistance rolls are Indiana, Alabama, Ala-bama, .South Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia, Virginia, Mississippi, and Kentucky. Troponents of the legislation to abolish secrecy of welfare rolls in Utah contend that it would be a constructive step in the direction direc-tion of freedom of information in the field of government for which the press of the nation has fought so vigorously throughout this country's history. This viewpoint view-point was recently summarized by the immediate past president of the national journalistic fraternity, fra-ternity, Charles C. Clayton, who said: "The right to know is basic in democracy. It is predicated upon the faith that the people can be trusted to evaluate and act if they have the facts. Yet there is a growing notion in this country that it is dangerous for the people peo-ple to know too much, that the public cannot be trusted to think straight in this complex world. The American people have a right to know what goes on in government, at every level. We have the right to know what our elected representatives are doing, what is being done with the tax dollars we provide, the right to know whether our representatives representa-tives are using properly the power pow-er we vest in them. In short, we have the right to know the score from the precinct level to Washington." Wash-ington." The contention of opponents that the needy on the rolls would be embarrassed is discussed in an official State of Illinois news release. The experience in Illinois, Illin-ois, according to this release is as follows: "Opposition to opening the rolls to the public is based chiefly on the contention recipients recip-ients would be humiliated by malicious gossip. It was also claimed the lists would be used for wrongful purposes. Both claims have fallen flat." Utah welfare officials emphasize empha-size that permitting inspection, with proper safeguards, of the rolls in Utah would be in accord with the sound democratic principle prin-ciple that secret spending of public pub-lic funds should be abolished. |