HLS 17RS-829 ORIGINAL
2017 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 177
BY REPRESENTATIVE MORENO
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
SNAP/FOOD STAMPS: Eliminates restrictions on SNAP benefits eligibility for persons
with prior drug convictions
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 46:233.2, relative to eligibility for benefits of certain public
3 assistance programs; to provide relative to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
4 Program eligibility; to provide for eligibility for such program of persons convicted
5 of certain offenses; and to provide for related matters.
6Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 46:233.2 is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
8 ยง233.2. Period of ineligibility for assistance cash benefits for individuals convicted
9 of certain felonies
10 Except as prohibited by federal law, an individual convicted under federal or
11 state law of any offense which is classified as a felony by the law of the jurisdiction
12 involved and which has as an element the possession, use, or distribution of a
13 controlled substance, as defined in the federal Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C.
14 802(6), shall be ineligible from receiving cash benefits under a state program funded
15 under Part A of Title IV of the Social Security Act or benefits under the food stamp
16 program as defined in Section 3(h) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 or any state
17 program carried out under the Food Stamp Act of 1977 for a one-year period
18 commencing on the date of conviction if an individual is not incarcerated, or from
19 the date of release from incarceration if the individual is incarcerated.
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 17RS-829 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 177
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 177 Original 2017 Regular Session Moreno
Abstract: Eliminates restrictions on eligibility for benefits of the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (formerly known as "food stamps") for people with prior drug
convictions.
Present law provides that individuals who have been convicted of any felony offense
involving the possession, use, or distribution of a controlled substance shall be ineligible for
benefits of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for one of the following periods,
as applicable:
(1)A one-year period commencing on the date of conviction if the person is not
incarcerated.
(2)A period of one year from the date of release from incarceration if the person is
incarcerated.
Proposed law repeals present law.
(Amends R.S. 46:233.2)
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.