The Michigan House of Representatives voted Wednesday to require photos and signatures on any government-issued cards for food or cash assistance. Supporters of the bill argue it would create more accountability for the state’s Bridge Cards, which hold cash for EBT purchases.
Representative Jason Woolford (R-Howell) sponsors the bill. He said it would ensure benefits only go to people in need.
“At the same time, this bill protects taxpayers. Michigan spends billions of dollars each year on this program. If fraud and errors continue unchecked, we’re not only wasting money, but we’re also undermining the credibility of our entire system,” Woolford said during a floor speech Wednesday.
Numbers from the USDA, which administers federal SNAP food assistance benefits, show Michigan had an overpayment rate for the program of about 8.03% during the last fiscal year. That’s with a tolerance threshold of $56.
The state’s underpayment rate was 1.5%.
All but three Democrats in the chamber Wednesday voted against the bill. Representative Penelope Tsernoglou (D-East Lansing) said it would create an unnecessary hassle for both the state and people who receive public assistance.
“This bill will cost our state millions of dollars annually with savings to the state being determined as ‘indeterminate, but likely negligible.’ Despite costing our state millions of dollars, the legislation is likely to have almost zero impact on Bridge Card fraud,” Tsernoglou said in reference to an analysis from the non-partisan House Fiscal Agency.
The report suggests other states that have considered similar policies estimated they would cost millions. It cites numbers from West Virigina, the latest state to pass a photo EBT law, spent over $10 million to get it off the ground.
The bill now goes to the Democratic-controlled Michigan Senate, where its chances of passing are probably low.
