A bill proposing that pictures be optional on EBT cards was introduced by Senator Jim Tracy on Tuesday with the intent of helping fight EBT card fraud in Tennessee.
EBT is an online system where cash assistance benefits replacing food stamps are stored, all with the goal of helping those who need it, but sometimes, those benefit cards can be misused.
Senator Tracy's son experienced attempted misuse of EBT Cards first hand.
"He went to Walmart one night and he called me and said, 'Dad, there were people out trying to sell the EBT cards for cash," Tracy said, adding that he knew about EBT fraud, but that experience made him realize something needed to be done. "That's not what those cards are designed to do. They're designed to have the benefits for the person who is qualified as a cardholder."
Tracy found that two states allow cardholders to put their pictures on their cards to avoid any fraud from happening and decided to bring forward a bill that would allow Tennessee to do the same.
It would not be required for photos to be on the cards, but it would be an option for anyone renewing their card to help protect those who need the benefits, and those taxpayers that help fund those benefits.
"Hopefully this wills top the fraud of people selling the cards and people getting benefits that are not qualified for it," Tracy said.
The bill is still in it's early stages and has to make it out of committee and pass the house and senate, but Senator Tracy believes his legislation is a common sense.
"To me, it's a bipartisan thing. This is just a protection of the benefits for the cardholder and protection of the taxpayer paying for these benefits," Tracy explained.
If an individual decided to get a photo added to their EBT card, it could also be used as a valid state ID and could be used for voting.
Law enforcement would be responsible for enforcing the law and preventing fraud using the new EBT cards, while grocery store clerks will not be held responsible for that duty.
