BROOKE:THE OHIO HOUSE HAS
PASSED A BILL REQUIRING PHOTO
IDENTIFICATION ON FOOD STAMP
BENEFIT CARDS. 2 NEWS
REPORTER DANA SMITH GETTING
ANSWERS ON THE MOTIVE BEHIND
THE BILL.
DANA:OFFICIALS ARE HOPING THAT
BY REQUIRING PHOTO ID AS PART
OF FOOD STAMP BENEFIT CARDS,
THEY'LL BE ABLE TO DETER ABUSE
AND CRACK DOWN ON FRAUD.
MANY SHOPPERS I SPOKE TO SAID,
IT'S NOT A BAD IDEA.CHARLES
GALL/LOCAL SHOPPER:"SOMETIMES
PEOPLE GIVE OUT THEIR CARDS
AND SOMETIMES CARDS ARE
STOLEN, THIS WAY THEY CAN KEEP
TRACK AND MAKE SURE THE RIGHT
PEOPLE HAVE THE WELFARE CARDS."
OHIO AUDITOR DAVE YOST,
LAST YEAR, FOUND "SEVERAL
INSTANCES" OF POTENTIAL FRAUD
IN STATE'S FOOD STAMP PROGRAM
HE SAID MORE THAN 20 THOUSAND
DOLLARS IN BENEFITS WERE
ISSUED TO RECIPIENTS MORE THAN
A YEAR AFTER THEIR DEATHS.BY
THE TIME, AUTHORITIES REALIZED
THE MISTAKE, SOME OF THE MONEY
HAD ALREADY BEEN SPENT.ONE
SHOPPER TOLD ME REQUIRING
PHOTO ID MIGHT MAKE IT HARDER
FOR PEOPLE TO RECEIVE
ASSISTANCE, WHILE ANOTHER SAID
IT WILL ONLY MAKE IT HARDER
FOR THE FRAUDSTERS.ARTHUR
LAWSON, WORKS AT A LOCAL
SUPERMARKET AND HAS SEEN HIS
FAIR SHARE OF PEOPLE RECEIVING
SOME SORT OF FOOD ASSISTANCE.
LAWSON/WORKS AT A GROCERY
STORE:"IN THIS COMMUNITY YOU
HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DO
NEED IT AND USE IT WISELY
WITHOUT ABUSING IT... PEOPLE
WHO DO WRONG ARE GOING TO FIND
WAYS TO BREAK RULES, BUT IT'S
A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION."
NOW, THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS
TO THE LAW. IF YOU'RE 60 YEARS
OLD OR OLDER, ARE BLIND, HAVE
A DISABILITY, ARE A VICTIM OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, OR HAVE
RELIGIOUS OBJECTIONS TO BEING
PHOTOGRAPHED... YOU WILL NOT
BE REQUIRED TO HAVE A PHOTO ID
ON YOUR CARD.
DANA:THE BILL WILL NOW MOVE ON
TO THE OHIO SENATE. IF IT
PASSES, IT WILL BE UP TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF JOB AND FAMILY
SERVICES TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW
GUIDELINES.DANA SMITH. FIVE ON
2.
