MADISON, WI (WTAQ) – Wisconsin Assembly Republicans are trying again to make food stamp users eat healthier.
The Public Benefits Reform Committee of the lower house will hold a public hearing on Thursday on a bill from freshman Republican Robert Brooks of Saukville.
It would force recipients in the FoodShare program to spend at least two-thirds of their monthly allotments on nutritional foods — and they would be barred from buying higher-end foods like shrimp, crab, and lobster.
A similar bill passed the Assembly two years ago with support from all Republicans and at least some Democrats. The Senate did not act on it.
Meanwhile, freshman Assembly Republican Mike Rohrkaste of Neenah has introduced a bill requiring drug tests for those who apply for a number of job training programs. He also proposed a measure that requires applicants for unemployment benefits to pass drug tests if they want to work in occupations which require those screenings.
Those two measures are up for hearings on Thursday as well.
Also, freshman Assembly Republican Jesse Kremer of Kewaskum has proposed a bill to make food stamp recipients show photo ID’s to get their benefits. He tells Wisconsin Public Radio it would save an estimated $14 million a year in food stamp fraud, using national averages to determine that figure.
(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)
