Assemblyman Al Stirpe (D-Cicero) supports the governor’s budget proposal that prohibits the withdrawing of public assistance benefits at Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) located in casinos, liquor stores or adult entertainment facilities.

“If New York fails to enact this common sense measure into law, we are in jeopardy of losing nearly $120 million in federal funding to help struggling families.” said Assemblyman Stirpe “At a time when budgets are tight, we must ensure taxpayer dollars are being spent properly and on life necessities not on tobacco or alcohol.”

Public assistance cash benefits are often distributed through Electronic Bank Transfer (EBT) cards and can be withdrawn from most ATM locations. Currently, no law exists that protects these public assistance benefits from being withdrawn from ATMs in liquor stores, casinos or adult entertainment establishments.

The state has until Feb. 22 to show that it has taken steps to curtail the abuse of EBT cards, or it faces the possibility of losing $120 million in federal funding under the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program, Assemblyman Stirpe noted.

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