AB222: Bill Text

LRB-1573/1

SWB:kjf

2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE

2015 Assembly BILL 222

May 19, 2015 - Introduced by Representatives Kremer, Kapenga, August, Brandtjen, R. Brooks, Craig, Edming, Gannon, Horlacher, Hutton, Jacque, Jagler, Jarchow, Katsma, Kerkman, Knodl, Knudson, T. Larson, Murphy, A. Ott, Petersen, Quinn, Sanfelippo and Tittl, cosponsored by Senators Nass, Gudex, Marklein and Stroebel. Referred to Committee on Public Benefit Reform.

AB222,1,2 An Act to create 49.79 (7g) of the statutes; relating to: photo identification cards for FoodShare recipients.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, the federal food stamp program, now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and called FoodShare in this state, assists eligible low-income individuals (recipients) to purchase food. SNAP benefits are paid entirely with federal moneys. The cost of administration is split between the federal and state governments; the program is administered in this state by the Department of Health Services (DHS).

This bill requires DHS to prepare and submit a comprehensive implementation plan (implementation plan) to the food and nutrition service (FNS) of the federal Department of Agriculture (USDA) for approval to issue electronic benefit transfer (EBT) identification cards containing a photo to FoodShare recipients. This bill also requires DHS to submit a waiver request to USDA to allow DHS to require FoodShare recipients to show an EBT card containing a photograph when making purchases using FoodShare benefits. Finally, this bill requires that if FNS and USDA approve the comprehensive implementation plan and the waiver, respectively, DHS must submit the plan, the waiver, and a request for any necessary appropriations to implement the plan, to the Joint Committee on Finance (JCF) for approval. Once the implementation plan and the waiver have federal approval and approval from JCF, then DHS must implement the proposals in the approved implementation plan and issue EBT cards containing photo identification of the FoodShare recipients to whom they are issued.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB222,1 Section 1. 49.79 (7g) of the statutes is created to read:

AB222,2,4 49.79 (7g) Food stamp photo identification cards. (a) In this subsection, "food and nutrition service" means the food and nutrition service of the federal department of agriculture.

AB222,2,13 (b) 1. The department shall submit a comprehensive implementation plan to the food and nutrition service as required by the food and nutrition service guidelines for allowing electronic benefit transfer cards containing a photograph. The department shall address in the implementation plan the issues required by the federal food and nutrition service guidelines for allowing photographs on electronic benefit transfer cards, including supplemental nutrition assistance program policies, operational issues, outreach, civil rights concerns, procedures to ensure that authorized representatives are able to use the card, and a description of how the department will ensure state compliance with federal requirements.

AB222,2,18 2. Along with the implementation plan, the department of health services shall submit a request for a waiver from the secretary of the federal department of agriculture to allow the department of health services to require that an individual show an electronic benefit card containing a photograph when making a purchase using food stamp benefits.

AB222,3,6 (c) If the food and nutrition service grants written approval of the implementation plan, and the secretary of the federal department of agriculture approves the waiver, the department of health services shall submit the implementation plan, the waiver, and any necessary appropriation requests to implement the plan to the joint committee on finance for approval. The department of health services or a county, multicounty consortium, or elected governing body may not implement the proposals contained in the implementation plan under par. (b) unless the joint committee on finance grants approval of both the implementation plan and the waiver.

AB222,3,14 (d) If the department receives approval of both the implementation plan and the waiver under par. (c), then the department, or a county, multicounty consortium, or elected governing body of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band acting on behalf of the department, shall issue, consistent with provisions of the implementation plan, food stamp identification cards to food stamp recipients that contain a photograph of the individual to whom the card is issued, and shall require an individual to show an electronic benefit card containing a photograph when making a purchase using food stamp benefits.

AB222,3,15 (End)