Assembly to pass measures targeting welfare fraud; advocates for poor pushing back

MADISON — Food stamp recipients in Wisconsin would face new hurdles to keep their benefits under several bills Republicans plan to pass Tuesday, November 3rd in the Wisconsin Assembly.

Advocates for the poor are pushing back against the GOP legislation. They argue the bills would make it harder for people who need food to get it.

Three of the proposals target participants in Wisconsin's food stamps program known as FoodShare.

A fourth bill would take unemployment benefits away for seven years from those who pretend to be someone else or lie when applying.

The proposals come after the Legislature already approved Gov. Scott Walker's proposal requiring drug tests for FoodShare recipients.

The Assembly passed another measure barring FoodShare recipients from purchasing junk food, but it is stalled in the Senate.

And new FoodShare program rules began statewide on April 1, 2015. Certain adults between the ages of 18 through 49 with no minor children in their home may need to meet a work requirement or meet an exemption to continue getting FoodShare benefits. The work requirement rules will affect members who have a renewal or apply for FoodShare benefits on and after April 1, 2015.

READ MORE: 2015 Assembly Bill 188: Relating to: removing FoodShare benefits from an inactive account and expunging unused benefits after one year.

READ MORE: 2015 Assembly Bill 200: Relating to: a waiver to limit the number of FoodShare replacement cards.

READ MORE: 2015 Assembly Bill 212: Relating to: acts of concealment and misrepresentations in filing for or claiming unemployment insurance benefits.

READ MORE: 2015 Assembly Bill 222: Relating to: photo identification cards for FoodShare recipients.

LEARN MORE: FoodShare Wisconsin.