PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Welfare recipients would not be able to use their benefits at casinos, tattoo parlors, gun shops, cruise ships, liquor stores or adult-oriented venues such as strip clubs, under a proposal that now heads to the full Rhode Island Senate following committee approval Monday.
Introduced on behalf of Governor Chafee's administration by Sen. David Bates, R-Barrington, the proposal effectively seeks block use of the benefits on lottery tickets and other gambling, cigarettes and other tobacco products, alcohol, firearms, pornographic materials, body piercings and jewelry and more non-food purchases
The bill - S0821-- passed the Senate Finance Committee earlier Monday, despite opposition from Linda Katz, policy director of the Economic Progress Institute, which advocates for the poor and low income people.
Katz argued that the state should not be expending resources to root out government benefit abuse, but should focus instead on getting people off the program.
"The state should not be in the business of regulating where people are using their [benefit] cards," Katz said. "We don't tell people how to use their unemployment benefits or cash assistance benefits."
Bates interjected: "What would you suggest we not ban? Should they be allowed to buy firearms?"
Katz said she wasn't advocating for use of the benefits for such purchases. But she maintained the bill "goes way beyond" what the federal government requires
CORRECTION: A previous story incorrectly referenced the program in question as SNAP, the benefit program formerly known as food stamps.