Amendment #602 to H3400

Outside Section 15 Amendment

Representatives Cabral of New Bedford, Rushing of Boston, Khan of Newton, Smizik of Brookline, Sciortino of Medford, Keefe of Worcester, Sannicandro of Ashland and O'Day of West Boylston move to amend H3400 by striking section 15 and inserting lieu thereof the following new section:

"SECTION 15: Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the office of the treasurer shall conduct a study assessing the costs and benefits of requiring all SNAP and cash assistance households to  have a photo ID on any electronic benefits transfer or EBT card used to transact SNAP or cash assistance benefits;  provided further, that  on or before December 31, 2013, the office of the treasurer shall submit a report setting forth its findings and recommendations  to the clerks of the house and senate, the house and senate committees on ways and means, and the joint committee on children, families and persons with disabilities; provided further, that said study shall include but not be limited to an assessment of the benefits of a photo ID requirement in preventing or deterring fraud and promoting program integrity, the cost to the commonwealth of issuing photo IDs, the cost of complying with federal requirements to ensure that any appropriate member of the household and/or authorized representative may use the card and that benefits be provided within specified timeframes, the effects on retailers, and the costs to the commonwealth  of monitoring and enforcing the federal regulation that requires retailers to treat SNAP participants the same as other consumers.".