Amendment #634 to H3400

relative to out of state spending of cash benefits

Mrs. O'Connell of Taunton moves to amend the bill by adding the following three sections:-

“SECTION XX. Subsection (a) of section 5I of chapter 18 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the definition of “Access device”, the following definition:

“Border state”, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island or Vermont.

SECTION XX. Said section 5I of said chapter 18 is hereby further amended by inserting after subsection (b) the following subsection:-

(b ½) No person shall knowingly use direct cash assistance funds held on an electronic benefit transfer card or access device in a state other than the commonwealth or a border state. The department shall track, on a monthly basis, the usage of direct cash assistance funds in violation of this subsection.  The department shall contact each recipient whose electronic benefit transfer card or access device has been used in violation of this subsection, and shall investigate the violation accordingly.

SECTION XX. The department of transitional assistance shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement the requirements of this act.”