Electronic benefits transfer cards: prohibition of use for alcohol and tobacco purchases.

Existing law provides for the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families. Existing law provides for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , formerly the Food Stamp Program, under which food stamps are allocated to the state by the federal government and are distributed to eligible households by each county. Federal law prohibits the use of SNAP benefits for the purchase of alcohol and tobacco products. Existing law permits a county to elect to deliver CalWORKs and SNAP benefits through the use of an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) system. Existing law specifies criteria for the development and administration of the EBT system, including issuance to a recipient of an EBT card. This bill would require the EBT system to be designed to prevent use of EBT cards by recipients for the purchase of alcohol or tobacco products. The bill would require that its provisions not be construed to prohibit the use of an EBT card to access SNAP benefits, as authorized by federal law.