Bills’ aim is food stamp fraud

Texas lawmakers are targeting fraud involving the state’s food stamp program with two bills that would require photographs of the recipients on their government-issued cards.

Both House Bill 1250, filed by Beaumont Republican Rep. Dade Phelan, and Senate Bill 671, filed by Conroe Republican Sen. Brandon Creighton, would add the photo and name of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients to their Lone Star Cards and place a greater emphasis on reporting instances of food stamp fraud.

“It’s a problem I see in my community every day,” Phelan said. “There are individuals who take advantage of a program that’s designed for the most vulnerable Texans, and I want to make sure

those taxpayer resources go to the people who actually need them.”

Lone Star Cards — also referred to as EBT cards, short for electronic benefit transfer — operate much like debit cards at the checkout stand and are refilled by the state on a monthly basis. As with users of bank-issued debit cards, EBT card users get PIN numbers to authorize purchases. The two bills would also add the state’s food stamp fraud hotline number to all Lone Star Cards.

Current data don’t suggest that food stamp fraud is a widespread problem. According to a 2018 congressional report, for every $10,000 paid out by food stamp programs nationally in fiscal year 2017, only $21 was determined by state agencies to have been lost because of fraud.

But Phelan said those numbers would be much higher if there were greater oversight on Lone Star Cards because the cards make it too easy to get away with fraud.

“Adding the name puts it on par with almost any other electronic currency, and the only reason I added the photo as well is because it just adds that extra layer of security,” Phelan said.

State officials would also be required to monitor how often participants request replacement cards.

Neither bill has been assigned to a committee yet, but if approved by the Legislature, the law would take effect Sept. 1.

More than 3.5 million Texans receive food stamp benefits, and the average monthly benefit for a household is $259. The program, which is funded by the state and the federal government, costs nearly $400 million a year.

People younger than 19, seniors, people with disabilities, the homeless and victims of domestic abuse would all be exempt if either bill were passed into law.