JP State Rep. Malia: Welfare Card Push 'Very Political and Coming From the Right Wing'

The tug-of-war over welfare card benefits continues. The House was expected to take up an amendment regarding the use of welfare money in response to Gov. Deval Patrick's veto on a law that restricts use of electronic-benefit cards.

As part of the 2013 state budget, the Legislature included language that would have banned EBT card use to buy jewelry, manicures, tattoos, guns, pornography and other items. It is already illegal to use such cards to buy tobacco, alcohol and lottery tickets. 

But on Sunday Patrick rejected these new restrictions and substituted language that forbids EBT card use at certain businesses, such as tattoo parlors, strip clubs, gun shops and casinos – but not on the individual items themselves. However, he declined to include jewelry stores and nail salons on this list. 

Patrick said he vetoed the Legislature's language because of problems with enforceability. Furthermore, he said, his proposal is in line with reforms recommended by the EBT Commission. 

Still, several legislators say they are disappointed with Patrick's veto and plan to reject it. If they are successful, Patrick could either sign or veto the original language. If he issues another veto, the Legislature has until July 31 to try to override it.

State Representative Liz Malia, D-Jamaica Plain, has her doubts about the whole issue.

"I don't like the EBT push at all," Malia told Patch in a Thursday phone interview. "I think it's very political and coming from the right wing."

Malia says there are legititmate concerns about EBT fraud, but that her colleagues are looking at the issue "through the wrong end of the telescope." She'd like to see the issue approached on the vendor end, not with the individual users of welfare benefits.

Malia said she shared the view of Rep. Carl Sciotino, D-Somerville, who, according to the Globe said the focus should be on lifting people out of poverty, "rather than create barriers for people who are trying to survive and take care of their children."

Welfare recipients now receive, on average, $500 a month in assistance, according to the Department of Transitional Assistance. And nearly 52,000 households in Massachusetts are enrolled in the program, according to the Boston Globe. 

“What we did in EBT reform was the responsible thing to do. I think that any time that you’re talking about fraud of this type, I think what we did as a House, as a Senate, and then in the conference committee was the right thing to do. We are talking here about saving taxpayers money from fraud," House Speaker Robert DeLeo said.