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State Representative Tony Cornish
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4240
For more information contact: Jason Wenisch 651-296-2317
NEWS RELEASE
CORNISH AUTHORS WELFARE REFORM BILL
ST. PAUL – With welfare waste becoming more rampant across Minnesota, State Representative Tony Cornish (R-Good Thunder) is co-authoring legislation that would require Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards to be used only in Minnesota.
“For the last four years, we’ve been trying to get control of EBT card abuse,” Cornish said. “Fraud investigators have shared firsthand stories of EBT cards being used out of state, being used by other people, and being sold to the highest bidder. It’s clear we need to create some new welfare guidelines.”
EBT cards provide cash and food support benefits to Minnesotans. The proposed legislation prohibits EBT recipients from cashing out their benefits or using their cards to purchase tobacco products, alcohol or lottery tickets. In addition, it eliminates EBT cards from being used out of state and requires cashiers to request photo identification at the point of sale.
The current system has come under intense scrutiny for misuse. In August 2008, Minnesota House Republicans uncovered data from the Minnesota Department of Human Services showing that 309,717 EBT transactions took place in other states other than Minnesota costing taxpayers more than $10 million. An investigative report by KSTP-TV uncovered that 54,000 transactions in September took place in states other than Minnesota - including Hawaii and the Virgin Islands. Of those transactions, 101 were at liquor stores in eight different states.
Cornish said only a few exceptions will likely be made in the bill, such as allowing caregivers to use a patient’s EBT card to buy that patient food. He added the bill will state clearly that a card that’s designed to help needy Minnesota residents pay for food will not be used for cigarettes, alcohol, and tattoos – which is happening far too often.
“The EBT system is in desperate need of control and is wasting taxpayers’ money,” Cornish said. “We always want to help people who need it, but people should expect if they’re using someone else’s money that they will be held accountable.”
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