RALEIGH, N.C. — Legislation directing the North Carolina lottery to disclose winners of substantial cash prizes to state social services officials as an anti-fraud initiative for food stamps received initial House approval Wednesday.
The chamber voted 75-38 largely along party lines for the bill, which a chief sponsor said would seek to ensure the federal benefits are going to the needy.
The North Carolina Education Lottery would provide names and jackpot amounts of those people winning at least $2,250 to the Division of Social Services, which would then crosscheck the information against food stamp applicants and recipients. The dollar amount is linked to requirements to obtain such federal food benefits.
If the person hadn't reported the winning to social service workers, the state would have to conduct further review to "determine possible fraudulent misrepresentation." Winning above that threshold doesn't necessarily mean they'll lose the benefit, said Rep. Bert Jones, R-Rockingham.
"It simply gives the department the information to see if they are still eligible," Jones said.
A final House vote could come Thursday.
The measure also addresses how long people are disqualified from receiving food stamps when they don't meet work or training requirements. It took two days of debate and amendments to get to the first vote, as several Democrats complained the bill was about punishing poor people who came into a little extra money.
"We are targeting the least among us, the most vulnerable among us," said Rep. Nathan Baskerville, D-Vance, during Tuesday's debate.
The House unanimously approved an amendment Wednesday offered by Jones designed to make clear that family members of the person subject to the work mandate wouldn't lose benefits.
A successful amendment by Rep. Jane Farmer-Butterfield, D-Wilson, directed state officials to report back to legislators by end of next year about how many times the reporting of lottery winnings resulted in the termination of benefits. But her amendment to raise the reporting threshold to $5,000 was defeated.
Thanks to truesee for the tip.
No Rep Baskerville, you're not targeting the weak, you're targeting scammers.
They already do this, not sure why this is news worthy now.
I thank God and Praise America for the generosity of the Americans to the poor throughout the world. These safety nets help create entrepreneurs who are living hand to mouth while they bring to market their ideas.
No one wants to be poor. Unforeseen circumstances in life lead to these cases. We must remember the saying,"There but by the Grace of God go I".
I do not take the Lottery for granted either. This game is played in rich nations. I am very thankful for the blessings of America.
Hard working Americans are the envy of the world. Very few want to leave.
I am black and I wonder will they just target minorities. I do not get any kind of assistance but I wonder how I might be treated.
I don't think they are targeting minorities--needy people come in all sizes and colors. Food stamps are need based. Changes in income are to be reported by the recipient anyway. So why is that a problem?
Being Black has nothing to do with it. If you do not get any kind of assistance at present T- you have nothing to worry about. Now if you were on assistance & you won a sizable amount of money & kept that information to yourself,then you have something to worry about Tavis. You become a " person of interest"..
The lottery office can't and won't have a list of names of people on assistance programs. This being the south, they will most likely only ask the welfare office about black winners while they will give white winners the money no questions asked.
Find a Patel when you win and they'll never know.
$2,250 s such a life changing amount! Wow kick them off benefits for the rest of their
lives why don't you, North Carolina!
If someone receiving food stamp benefits gets lucky with an extra dollar, let them for
Pete's sake. Raise the threshold and eye up regular, repeat winners/abusers. Kick the ones
deserving of termination off the books. An extra $100 a month isn't going to raise anyone's
standard of living to a point where those that do not get benefits are suddenly in a role
reversal of poverty vs.comfort.
Lawmakers are manning the battle against an injustice they feel they need to address due
to contempt of a regular non-benefit collecting public. Heaven forbid anyone they feel needs
to be kept in their place of living like and looking like they're impoverished, win a few bucks
and feel normal for a change.
Anyone shouting fraud look in the mirror, what do you see? A hard working, upright, honest
person? Did you ever keep anything you weren't entitled to?...extra change at the register? An
undercharge for a service rendered? An item that wasn't rung up right? Money you found?
Items you found? And lawmakers, that's a joke. Some feel entitlement to things they don't
deserve all the time and they want to make sure the poor stay in their place of having
nothing because everyone is comfortable they're getting nowhere, going nowhere and stay
that way.
Any temper tantrum raising 2 year old who cries foul over a ridiculous amount of winnings
should be focusing on the real cheats at state level and the real frauds abusing the system who
are laughing at the extra free money they're getting that they do not deserve or need. Don't
focus on the ones who truly are in need and wholeheartedly thank God for the opportunity to feel
normal, lucky and human for short time in their miserably poor life.
Maybe it was two years ago or so, but there was a story about a woman who won a million dollars. At the time she was collecting welfare payments and she continued to receive those payments even after she won. When authorities asked her why she continued to receive welfare she said something like....I was entitled. LOL! I think NC is more concerned about someone winning 50K, 100K or more, not a measly 2,500.
And that's how it should be but to show everyone they are on top of things they'll
start little while somehow missing the big.
She was from Michigan. That is one word that irks me in the English language...entitled. I was always taught to work for what you want. Anyway she's gone, RIP, drugs did her in.
In Massachusetts in 2015(?) a guy won a million dollars pre tax and was also had an EBT card @ the time.
It is the right thing to do to end these 'entitlements' after a big win. You would think in this electronic age this would be a no-brainer and be done with it.
They would run the social security numbers.
"We are targeting the least among us, the most vulnerable among us," said Rep. Nathan Baskerville, D-Vance, during Tuesday's debate. This guy is a moron that needs to be voted out!
Yes, I agree that there are some people that are temporarily down on their luck due to being laid off and such. There are ALSO people that milk the system here in NC. Take for example a woman who asked at a store if she could get cash back from her EBT (Welfare card). My jaw dropped as she pulled up in a new Lexus SUV, had hair and nails done to the max! A couple of other times was at the grocery store and people got cash back from an EBT card. Sure, some will say "Well if they got a check they could cash it". Well, give them an EBT card WITHOUT the option for cash back. If you need cash, GET A JOB even if temp...I haev done it before and sure they can do it as well if they dont have easy access to cash.
Bottom line: IT IS NOT A FRIGGIN' ATM card is is OUR tax money.