Bill > HB229

This bill amends existing law to establish penalties for unlawful dealing in federal food coupons or WIC checks, which are benefits provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help low-income individuals purchase food. The bill clarifies that "unlawful dealing" includes buying, selling, trading, bartering, or possessing these benefits with the intent to gain an unfair economic advantage. Importantly, it specifies that the penalties will be determined based on the *aggregate* value of the food coupons or WIC checks involved in one or more transactions within a twelve-month period, with escalating penalties ranging from a petty misdemeanor for amounts of $250 or less, up to a second-degree felony for amounts exceeding $20,000. The bill also defines "federal food coupons or WIC checks" to include electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards and other methods of receiving these benefits.