The state Assembly passed a bill Tuesday that further defines illegal uses for food stamps in the state, including selling or exchanging food stamps for money and goods.
The bill was originally proposed to eliminate loopholes officials had found in the food-stamp system, which uses hundreds of thousands dollars in taxpayer money, according to a release from state Sen. Rick Gudex, R-Fond du Lac.
The food-stamp program is a federally run initiative that provides low-income individuals with vouchers to buy food. The stamps often come in either paper or debit card-like forms.
While the main illegal use for food stamps was previously selling them, state Rep. Erik Severson, R-Osceola, said the new bill would also allow the state to prosecute individuals who steal or exchange their benefits for cash or goods.
In the past, individuals on food stamps had used their vouchers to buy food they would then resell for money. They also would buy food that comes in returnable containers so they could exchange the containers for cash.
The bill will now move to the state Senate for consideration.
