HB2384 Summary

• Requires applicants for medical assistance and SNAP benefits to pass initial drug screening; recipients must pass random drug screenings for continued eligibility, with exemptions for dependent children under 18, persons with children in assistance unit, persons with disabilities, persons 65 or older, and nursing home/ID/DD facility residents.

• Mandates Department of Human Services adopt rules requiring TANF and SNAP applicants to actively seek work consistent with unemployment insurance requirements, and adopt rules allowing gradual benefit reduction as earnings increase.

• Prohibits TANF recipients from using cash assistance benefits to purchase lottery tickets or patronize casinos and video gaming establishments.

• Increases criminal penalties for unauthorized possession or use of another person's EBT/LINK card from Class 4 felony to Class 3 felony, and escalates other public aid fraud penalties by one felony class across all dollar thresholds.

• Requires photo identification matching the cardholder's name and appearance when using EBT/LINK cards for SNAP or cash benefits; all new cards must display names of household members entitled to use them.