By Collin Reischman
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A bipartisan group of state Senators have joined together in support of a bill that would place new restrictions on public assistance funds.
Sen.’s Will Kraus, R., and Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D., announced Monday that they were cosponsoring SB 251. The bill would set new restrictions on the use of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and Electronic Benefits Transfer funds.
“When people misuse these funds that are supposed to be for working families,” Chappelle-Nadal said, “I get very upset, and we need to do something about it.”
The pairing is unusual. Kraus represents a conservative region of the state, and Chappelle-Nadal represents one of the most liberal regions of the state. Last year, Kraus introduced legislation requiring photo identification on EBT cards to prevent misuses. That time, he encountered significant opposition from Chappelle-Nadal, who said she did not believe photo requirements were right for her own constituents, but believed new restrictions were needed.
“[Sen. Chappelle-Nadal] spoke with me this summer, and during the break we worked with each other on what we could do to improve the system and keep this money in the hands of working families that really need it,” Kraus said.
The bill would prohibit the funds from being used to purchase alcohol and tobacco products, as well as lottery tickets. The bill would also restrict funds being used in casinos, adult entertainment venues, and sporting events. It would also impose cash fines on businesses that knowingly allow customers to use EBT funds to purchase restricted items.
The bill had its first hearing in the Senate Judiciary committee on Monday.
Collin Reischman was the Managing Editor for The Missouri Times, and a graduate of Webster University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.
