For seven years Cheryl Ashe has been pleading with the Indiana General Assembly to let people with drug convictions receive food stamps.
The South Bend woman, who volunteers her time to connect people recently released from prison with resources they need to reintegrate into society, sees their difficulty in eating right as a big obstacle to staying sober, keeping a job and maintaining housing.
Sen. John Broden, D-South Bend, has agreed to introduce several such bills over the years, but they had never received a committee hearing.
He tried again this year and on Thursday, Ashe said she was “shocked” when the bill not only received a hearing — it passed the Appropriations Committee on a 13-0 vote, on the final day that bills could be heard in committee in their house of origin.
Ashe drove to Indianapolis and testified on the bill, which next moves to the full Senate for a vote. Bills must clear their own chambers by Wednesday
The bill would allow people to receive the federal benefit, formally called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, if they haven’t had a drug conviction within the past five years, or if they have had a conviction within five years but are receiving treatment and periodically test negative for drug use.