Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) is urging the State Assembly to pass legislation that will prevent ongoing taxpayer abuse while preserving $120 million in funding for struggling families, and has created an online petition to provide a public forum for residents to voice their support. The Public Assistance Integrity Act, passed by the Senate and co-sponsored in the Assembly by Hawley, would prohibit EBT cards from being used to purchase non-essential items like cigarettes, liquor and lottery tickets. If the Assembly fails to act by February 2014, the federal government will penalize New York by cutting federal funding for Cash Assistance by five percent ($120 million). Hawley has launched an online petition to drum up support for the bill, echoing an effort by Senator Michael Ranzenhofer to turn up the heat on the legislature.

“Taxpayers are being forced to subsidize illicit activities through a deficiency in the public assistance system,” said Hawley. “Hard-earned tax dollars are being misappropriated, making it harder for families truly in need of help to access support, and if the Assembly doesn’t pass the Public Assistance Integrity Act soon, those resources will become even scarcer. This common-sense legislation has been held in committee even though it has widespread bipartisan support. I hope this petition will spur the Assembly to take action as soon as we reconvene to bring an end to this blatant abuse of taxpayers.”

Assemblyman Hawley’s petition can be accessed on the front page of his official Assembly website or by visiting http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Stephen-Hawley/story/54780.