April 14, 2015, Madison, Wisconsin:
Today, Rep. Jesse Kremer (R-Kewaskum) circulated a proposal that seeks to help reduce fraud, waste and abuse within Wisconsin’s FoodShare program by adding photos to FoodShare EBT cards known as QUEST cards. The bill would require Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services (DHS) to submit an implementation plan to the Department of Agriculture (USDA), as well as a waiver request to seek federal permission to require that FoodShare recipients show their photo QUEST card when making a FoodShare purchase. Rep. Kremer issued the following remarks:
“Last year Wisconsin residents received over $1.1 billion in federal SNAP benefits, formerly known as food stamps. Also in 2014, DHS recorded over $6.5 million in fraudulent FoodShare overpayments. If approved by the federal government, the addition of photos to EBT cards will add an additional layer of fraud deterrence and continue to help combat FoodShare fraud in Wisconsin.”
According to the bill, the addition of photos to Wisconsin QUEST cards would be contingent on approval from both the USDA and Joint Committee on Finance.