HARRISBURG, PA – Senator Mike Regan (R-31) announced today that Senate Bill 6, comprehensive public welfare reform legislation he sponsored, was signed into law by Governor Wolf as Act 125 of 2018.
“Senate Bill 6 is about addressing the most egregious abuses of our welfare system and enhancing the law to protect the eligibility of our society’s most vulnerable and needy,” said Regan.
Central components of the bill address the eligibility of high-level felony drug dealers and non-compliant sex offenders, which were contained in bills that passed the House last session with overwhelming bipartisan support.
Additionally, the bill places controls on how and where EBT cards can be used, preventing the use of the cards at casinos and adult entertainment venues. SB 6 also requires the Department of Human Services and the Office of Inspector General to work cooperatively for the purpose of detecting and rooting out benefit fraud, and it requires lottery winnings of more than $600 to be counted as a resource for the purpose of calculating eligibility.
“It’s gratifying to see Governor Wolf recognize that limited resources for public assistance should not be given to drug kingpins, unregistered sex offenders, and others who abuse the system,” said Regan. “This bill is the product of years of work by many of my esteemed colleagues who, like myself, understand the need to protect against abuse of our public welfare system and to ensure assistance dollars are going to those who need it the most.”
CONTACT: Erin Marsicano – (717) 787-8524, emarsicano@pasen.gov