Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

State Rep. Jason Woolford on Thursday highlighted budget reforms that strengthen oversight of Michigan's public assistance programs while providing greater transparency with child care providers and the families they serve.

"Michiganders deserve confidence that their hard-earned dollars are going where they're supposed to," Woolford said.

"These reforms improve accountability without losing sight of the people who depend on these services every day."

The budget continues improvements to the Child Development and Care program by creating accountability measures for child care providers.

"Michigan has a responsibility to support people who truly need a helping hand while also protecting the taxpayers who fund these programs," Woolford said. "Accountability and compassion aren't mutually exclusive."

The budget also includes additional fraud prevention measures for public assistance programs, including stronger eligibility verification, interstate and federal database checks, improved reporting requirements and chip-enabled Bridge cards to reduce benefit theft and misuse.

"As Chairman of the House Oversight Subcommittee, I've made it a priority to identify waste, fraud and abuse in our public assistance programs," Woolford said. "These reforms are a significant win for the work of our oversight committee and demonstrate what can be accomplished when we focus on accountability and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars."

Woolford said the budget reflects the Legislature's continued effort to improve accountability while supporting programs that help Michiganders succeed.

"Good government means asking tough questions, demanding accountability and making sure every dollar is working for the people of this state," Woolford said. "This budget takes important steps in that direction, and our oversight committee will continue working to ensure Michigan's public assistance programs serve those who truly need them while safeguarding taxpayer resources."