Georgia House Bill Aims to Cut Down on Fraud in Needy Families Program

February 25th, 2013

A bill before a Georgia House sub-committee this morning aims to crack down on fraud in a program that gives money to needy families. And it is doing so in specific terms.

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides federal funds to states which then puts the funds on Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) debit cards for recipients.

Under House Bill 138, you would not be able to use the cards to buy a dozen specific items including alcohol, tobacco, pornography, and lottery tickets.

State Representative Andy Welch, R-McDonough, who introduced the bill, said, “This is trying to get to a focused use of using the money for the intended purpose as opposed to using the money for things that really are not necessary for families or children.”An audio version of this story

Welch does not have exact dollar figures on how widespread the fraud might be, but the Georgia Department of Human Services reports people have made plenty of improper purchases. The bill aims to close the gap between federal regulations that already prohibit the cards being used at places, such as liquor stores and casinos, and non-family friendly items that you can get at your local convenience store.

To get full support, Welch knows the measure will have to be user-friendly for retailers. He says he expects a good bit of negotiation before the bill makes it to the House floor.