Rhode Island Senator Nicholas D. Kettle has introduced legislation that would require anyone using an electronic benefits card to show photo ID.
"There are many people in our state that genuinely need these benefits,” Kettle (D-Dist. 21, Coventry, Foster, Scituate, West Greenwich) said. “People who try and defraud the food stamp program are stealing money from those who need EBT cards to keep from going hungry.”
The bill, 2014-S 2382, would require retailers check ID to verify an EBT card holder is the person trying to use the card. Any retailer who doesn't check ID will be suspended from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for one month.
“The bill is a much-needed tool to provide effective oversight of the SNAP program,” said Sen. Marc Cote, (D-Dist. 24, North Smithfield, Woonsocket) a member of a bipartisan Senate coalition supporting the bill. “We must do all that we can to make sure that the benefits go to qualified recipients and that taxpayer dollars spent appropriately” said Sen. Cote.
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The bill was also co-sponsored by Sen. Edward J. O’Neill (I-Dist. 17) and Sen. Leonidas P. Raptakis (D-Dist. 33). It now goes before the Senate Judiciary Committee for consideration.
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