California lawmakers back food stamps for drug felons

But states can opt out of that ban for certain drug felonies, as California has done since 2004, allowing drug offenders to apply — as long as they proved they were in a treatment program.

California lawmakers voted 42-23 Thursday to remove the treatment requirement and add convicted drug distributors to the list of those eligible to apply for food stamps. The vote was mostly along party lines, with Democrats supporting and Republicans opposing it.

About 900 California felons could become eligible for the food stamps, costing the federal government up to $1 million.

Assemblyman Sandre Swanson, D-Oakland, who introduced AB 1756, said allowing drug felons to get food stamps will help prevent recidivism. He said letting them get food stamps would help church groups and others with efforts at rehabilitating them.

"How are we going to stop seven out of 10 people from going back to prison?” Swanson asked.

Opponents say the bill rewards bad behavior and sends the wrong message.

The food stamps ban, which was included in the 1996 federal Welfare Reform Act, was intended to discourage drug offenders from subsidizing their drug habits.

"Is this intended to be a joke on the Legislature?” asked Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries, R-Riverside. "This is food stamps for drug dealers. Food stamps, taxpayer-funded, during a $20 billion deficit. ... How low can we go?”

But supporters argued that allowing drug offenders to receive food stamps would help them get back on the right track and provide for their dependents.

"This would allow foster youth to be reunited with their families,” said Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco. "I thought that was what America was supposed to be about — family values.”

According to the legislative analyst, local welfare departments would see a minor increase in their workload to process the new applications.

"We should be trying to reduce our welfare rolls, not increase them,” said Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, R-Irvine, who is running for U.S. Senate.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger previously vetoed a similar bill that would have required drug distributors to enroll in treatment programs, saying that was not an appropriate solution.

A report by the General Accounting Office found that since passage of the federal ban, 35 states have modified the prohibition, exempting some or all convicted drug felons.

The bill now moves to the Senate.