Wisconsin Assembly to pass measures impacting food assistance
By Newsroom Staff and Michelle Clemens Published: November 1, 2015, 10:00 am Updated: November 3, 2015, 10:31 am
There could be changes coming to the state food assistance program, FoodShare. Three bills which impact FoodShare are on Tuesday’s Assembly schedule.
The bills up for Assembly approval on Tuesday would:
— AB222: Require that a photo be added to FoodShare debit cards, but store clerks would not have to look at the image before completing a sale.
Requiring FoodShare participants to present a card with a photo on it in order to purchase food would require a federal waiver, something the bill does not seek. However, the federal government would have to sign off on the state’s implementation plan.
— SB136, AB200: Allow a FoodShare recipient to receive three replacement debit cards, known as Quest cards, each year no questions asked. After a fourth request in a year, the person would be notified that they could be investigated for fraud. After a fifth request, the person would be investigated.
The state Department of Health Services in 2013 instituted a pilot policy where it sent letters to FoodShare recipients who asked for four or more cards a year. The department determined the pilot to be successful in reducing the requests for replacements and plans to implement it statewide in December. The bill would put the policy into law.
— AB188: Require the state to seize all FoodShare benefits if the account has not been accessed in six months or more. The recipient could not access the benefits again until they make a request for it to be reactivated or they reapply for the program.
The state would also be required to expunge any benefits more than a year old that have not been used, even if the card is in active use. That is a slight shift from current policy under which benefits are only expunged if there’s been no activity on the card for a year.
— SB140, AB212: Deny unemployment benefits for seven years to anyone who impersonates someone to obtain benefits two times. Anyone who conceals information in order to qualify in two subsequent years would also lose benefits for seven years.
Legal Action of Wisconsin, a law firm representing low-income people, said they were concerned the change would result in people who make honest mistakes in the complicated application losing unemployment benefits.
While some believe the bills would help taxpayers by stopping fraud, others think that, if passed, they would make it harder for those in need to get help.
The bill that critics have the biggest problem with is one that would add a photo to the card FoodShare recipients use to buy food, known as a Quest card. Store clerks would not need to verify the photo on the card.
Currently, a Quest card looks like a typical debit or credit card and blends in at store check out lines.
Supporters said having a photo on the card would cut down resale on the secondary market, where people are selling the cards for $0.50 on $1.
“When you have somebody else’s photo ID on the card, you’re less likely to purchase it especially because it’s going to make it more likely that you’re going to get caught,” said Representative André Jacqye, R-De Pere.
Some said the photos would make FoodShare recipients stick out.
“This bill is really aiming to stigmatize poor families and it sets us back to the days when you had poor people who had actual food stamps that they had to show in grocery store lines,” said Vicky Selkowe of Legal Action of Wisconsin.
Another bill would allow for only three replacement cards per year before a warning when asking for a fourth replacement card and an investigation after the fifth card.
Rep. Jacque said there are thousands of people requesting more than four cards per year and can switch PINs in order to defraud the system.
A proposal to take away FoodShare benefits if an account had not been used in six months is also up for approval.
“It’s supposed to be needs based, it’s supposed to be something that is supposed to provide supplemental nutritional assistance on a monthly basis,” Rep. Jacque said. “f you’re banking accounts that are carried over into thousands of dollars, in some cases, over $14,000 to $15,000, clearly that program is not needed for the individual at that point.”
Democrats and republicans agree about the ideas behind the bills.
“We’re all interested in rooting out fraud and abuse within FoodShare, within any government program,’ said Representative Eric Genrich, D-Green Bay.
He said the programs will cost millions to implement.
“Whether or not the cost benefit analysis justifies some of the proposals being put forward, I think that’s the real key,” Rep. Genrich said.
Rep. Genrich said he expects the bills to pass the Assembly Tuesday, but the bills must pass the Senate and be signed by Governor Walker.