Michigan lawmakers consider photo, signature requirements on food assistance cards to curb fraud
Michigan Capitol | Susan J. Demas
Electronic theft of benefits and unauthorized use of food assistance cards is costing Michiganders millions if not billions of dollars in fraud, supporters of legislation to require a photo and a signature on Michigan Bridge cards said during a Thursday meeting of the state House Government Operations Committee.
Rep. Jason Woolford (R-Howell), sponsor of House Bill 4515, told lawmakers Thursday that Michigan has seen instances of organized crime stealing people's Electronic Benefits Transfer, or EBT, data to drain people's SNAP, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, benefits which are informally known as food stamps.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
A May statement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture said SNAP benefit fraud efforts have 'dramatically' increased in recent years through card skimming and cloning efforts. And as President Donald Trump's administration has zeroed in on cracking down on bad actors stealing food assistance dollars from those who need them, Judicial Officer of the United States Department of Agriculture John Walk said these crimes hurt Americans on multiple levels.
'These are truly sick and depraved individuals who are stealing food from low-income Americans for their own profit,' Walk said in May. 'It is especially disturbing when international criminal organizations siphon tax dollars away from SNAP beneficiaries to fund their own illicit activities.'
Woolford's bill would require those using Michigan's food assistance card, known as the Bridge Card, to have their photograph and signature appear on the card.
The bill isn't meant to inconvenience anyone in need of food assistance in Michigan more than the inconvenience many Michiganders face when getting a photo for a driver's license, passport, or a Costco membership card, Woolford said. And although the nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency places estimates of implementing photo and signature requirements at between $1.5 million to $4.5 million annually, based on other states that have done so, Woolford said the change could save taxpayers billions in fraud.
'That's my concern, that the amount of money we're losing here, money that quite honestly could go to other people that are being denied benefits or that we don't have the money to take care of because of the waste, fraud and abuse,' Woolford said.
In the House Fiscal Agency's analysis of the bill, savings to Michigan as a result of reduced fraud are indeterminate and likely negligible. Regardless of whose image would appear on a card, in order for whole families to benefit from food assistance, federal rules mandate that states can't hinder members of a household from permitted purchases, so anyone with the pin number can make a purchase regardless of the image on the card, the analysis said.
On Thursday, Rep. Mike Harris (R-Waterford Township) said during his law enforcement career prior to joining the Legislature, he saw frequent fraudulent use of food assistance cards. At the same time, when considering concerns that having to get a photo taken would place an undue burden on recipients, Harris said he'd be interested in seeing if the bill could be further fleshed out to allow images already in the Michigan Department of State's database for state IDs to be used for Bridge Cards.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Opinion: Where are the compassionate and moderating voices on Trump's travel ban?
Before he secured the Republican nomination for president in 2016, Donald Trump announced that he would seek 'a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.' Reaction, including from human rights organizations and fellow Republicans, was swift, and, for the most part, was characterized by astonishment, outrage and condemnation. Marco Rubio posted online, 'I disagree with Donald Trump's latest proposal. His habit of making offensive and outlandish statements will not bring Americans together.' At that time, Trump was an unknown entity in politics, and many believed he would never actually seek to implement the outrageous things he said. Unfortunately, one of Trump's first actions as a newly inaugurated president in January 2017 was to sign an executive order banning nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. This was immediately met with lawsuits and protests. The order was amended two different times in response to court challenges; eventually, a scaled-back version was upheld by the Supreme Court. To their credit, many leaders and members of the president's party were dismayed by this ban at the time. They saw it for what it was — a threat to the religious freedom guaranteed by the Constitution. They could see it as a clear attack on the pluralism that has long guaranteed that our nation — a nation of immigrants — remains a haven for people seeking to practice their religion according to their conscience while also contributing to society. When candidate Trump first voiced his pledge to prevent Muslims from entering the U.S. in 2015, Utah Governor Herbert spoke out strongly against this idea: 'I am the governor of a state that was settled by religious exiles who withstood persecution after persecution, including an extermination order from another state's governor. In Utah, the First Amendment still matters. That will not change so long as I remain governor.' We remember both the early rhetoric of candidate Trump and the later actions of President Trump well. It was shocking and disorienting to watch his efforts to discriminate against others. It was disheartening to watch a political party descend into unchristian and uncharitable legalese, all with the aim to exclude others based solely on their faith or nationality. Mormon Women for Ethical Government was born in response to these efforts. At the outset, MWEG's founders envisioned a small group of women working together through peaceful, faithful, nonpartisan and proactive ways to counteract the unbelievable turn the government was making. But these women were not alone in their desire to take action. They were quickly joined by thousands of other women of faith who were ready to work for a more peaceful, just and ethical world. Over time, MWEG has become a strong voice in advocating for compassionate and moderating forces in government. The organization continues to attract women who want to proactively and peacefully support systems rooted in constitutional principles and the rule of law. We now have women in all 50 states engaging in the political arena as informed and principled citizens. Though much has changed since the formation of MWEG eight years ago, immigration remains a central and divisive issue. Immigrants, including refugees and asylum seekers, have been victims of dehumanizing language and unfair stereotyping. The current administration has invoked the Alien Enemies Act to deport people without due process. It has detained students without cause, deported a man by mistake and refused a Supreme Court order to facilitate his return, attempted to end birthright citizenship, revoked student visas, ended temporary protected status for many, and suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). This week, President Trump signed another proclamation that bans citizens from 12 countries from entering the U.S. In comparison to eight years ago, the large-scale response has been muted or even resigned. As the world has changed and political rhetoric has become ever more extreme, have we changed with it? Do things that were once the source of personal outrage and deep concern still concern us? Has our once-strong commitment to love our neighbor as ourself weakened? And, if we cannot love them, are we at least as committed to maintaining their claim to Constitutional protections as we were eight years ago? As an organization, MWEG is committed to amplifying the best aspects of our Christian faith. That faith is rooted in a gospel of generosity. We are also committed to preserving the Constitution that, among other things, protects our ability, as members of a minority faith, to participate freely in civic life, to express our views and to practice our religion without fear of repercussions. Actions like this ban seem directed at a particular group, but they actually undermine the constitutional rights that protect all of us from government overreach. As citizens of a free nation, we can and should speak out when we see those rights being violated. In 2017, the threat was widely recognized by leaders and citizens from both parties. It is worth contemplating why this is no longer the case.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Trump loyalty is now part of job application
More than six million Americans are still looking for work, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Amid ongoing economic uncertainty, the federal government remains one of the country's most active employers, with open roles for nurses, actuaries, physicists, engineers and IT professionals listed at But prospective applicants may notice something different about the application process in 2025. Alongside typical questions about experience and qualifications, some federal job forms now ask about an applicant's alignment with presidential policy priorities, raising concerns about political screening in what are supposed to be nonpartisan civil service roles. Under guidance issued by the Chief Human Capital Officers Council (CHCOC), part of a broader federal hiring overhaul, applicants may be asked to explain how they would help implement specific executive orders or initiatives. One question currently being used reads: 'How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired.' This directive is connected to an executive order President Donald Trump that emphasizes 'merit-based' hiring over previous diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) considerations. The administration stated that these changes are intended to root out political bias and ensure a more ideologically aligned workforce. Critics argue that these practices resemble loyalty tests, particularly as questions of commitment to the Constitution and the President's policies appeared in job applications. Earlier this year, multiple government agencies experienced layoffs of employees who were seen as insufficiently aligned with current leadership, even in traditionally apolitical roles. Historical parallels have been raised. During the McCarthy era in the 1950s, public servants and private citizens alike were pressured to prove their loyalty to the U.S. government to root out suspected communists. Accusations and investigations often targeted personal beliefs rather than actions, leading to widespread firings, blacklisting and surveillance. Civil service roles in the U.S. were originally designed to serve the Constitution and the public, not individual officeholders. Federal employees take an oath to uphold the Constitution, a foundational distinction meant to separate American governance from monarchic or authoritarian systems. Whether the latest hiring guidelines are a temporary shift or a lasting transformation of the federal workforce remains to be seen. For now, job seekers interested in federal positions may want to prepare answers not just about their skills but about their stance on presidential policy.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
22-Year-Old Woman Tragically Loses Legs Following Freak Accident In The Bahamas
A young woman celebrating her summa cum laude college graduation experienced a traumatic freak accident in The Bahamas that resulted in her legs being severed. When the boating incident occurred on May 12, Hannah Smith, 22, was allegedly on the first day of her trip. According to the Daily Mail, she and a friend, Brooklyn Pitre, were on a celebratory Carnival Sunrise cruise after graduating. The two were returning to the ship via a pontoon ferry after doing off-ship excursions. As the small boat docked around 3:55 p.m. at Nassau Cruise Port, Hannah found herself in the water. The ferry's propellers reportedly dragged the young woman under the water, then partially severed her legs and surrounded her in blood. Two of the boat's female passengers were able to pull Hannah out of the water, and she went to a local hospital. Two days later, the Memphis, Tennessee, native was transferred to a hospital back in the United States for emergency surgery. Updates provided by her family (shared on GoFundMe) note that Hannah has undergone over 10 surgeries in the two and a half weeks following the boating incident. Though she suffered some medical setbacks and doctors performed extensive procedures, the recent graduate has been pulling through. It remains unclear how exactly Hannah ended up in the water, as sources differ. The pontoon ferry's captain allegedly told local authorities that Hannah jumped into the water. Police claim that alcohol consumption possibly played a role in the tragic incident. However, the recent graduate's parents, Tracy and Marvin Smith, deny that their daughter was inebriated. The recent graduate and Delta Sigma Theta sorority member studied communications and graphic design at Miles College, a Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) institution in Alabama. A family member has created a GoFundMe to aid Hannah with her medical costs and recovery. At the beginning of the fundraiser's description, it describes Hannah as a young woman who is 'love' and 'light.' 'This boating accident will not define your life,' declared Hannah's family member in the GoFundMe's description. 'We need you to have many more birthdays, more holidays, more life experiences… While on what was supposed to be a beautiful trip to the Bahamas, Hannah was involved in a tragic accident that nearly claimed her life. Through the grace of God, she's still with us, but the road ahead is long, filled with surgeries, recovery, and overwhelming medical costs.' As of this reporting, the fundraiser has received over 1,200 donations. It's currently at over $50,500 of its $250,000 goal. A May 29 update on Hannah's well-being said, 'This journey is taking a physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual toll. Please keep her lifted in your thoughts and prayers. She is fighting!!!' In late March, the State Department updated its travel advisory for Americans traveling to The Bahamas. The alert included a notice regarding crime, swimming-related risks, and traveling with firearms and ammunition on the Caribbean post 22-Year-Old Woman Tragically Loses Legs Following Freak Accident In The Bahamas appeared first on Travel Noire.
