Subdivision 1. Electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card. Cash benefits for the general assistance and Minnesota supplemental aid programs under chapter 256D and programs under chapter 256J must be issued on an EBT card with the name of the head of household printed on the card. The card must include the following statement: "It is unlawful to use this card to purchase tobacco products or alcoholic beverages." This card must be issued within 30 calendar days of an eligibility determination. During the initial 30 calendar days of eligibility, a recipient may have cash benefits issued on an EBT card without a name printed on the card. This card may be the same card on which Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are issued and does not need to meet the requirements of this section.
Subd. 2. Prohibited purchases. An individual with an EBT card issued for one of the programs listed under subdivision 1 is prohibited from using the EBT debit card to purchase tobacco products and alcoholic beverages, as defined in section 340A.101, subdivision 2. Any prohibited purchases made under this subdivision shall constitute unlawful use and result in disqualification of the cardholder from the program as provided in subdivision 4.
Subd. 3. EBT use restricted to certain states. EBT debit cardholders in programs listed under subdivision 1 are prohibited from using the cash portion of the EBT card at vendors and automatic teller machines located outside of Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Wisconsin. This subdivision does not apply to the food portion.
Subd. 4. Disqualification. (a) Any person found to be guilty of purchasing tobacco products or alcoholic beverages with their EBT debit card by a federal or state court or by an administrative hearing determination, or waiver thereof, through a disqualification consent agreement, or as part of any approved diversion plan under section 401.065, or any court-ordered stay which carries with it any probationary or other conditions, in the: (1) Minnesota family investment program and any affiliated program to include the diversionary work program and the work participation cash benefit program under chapter 256J; (2) general assistance program under chapter 256D; or (3) Minnesota supplemental aid program under chapter 256D, shall be disqualified from all of the listed programs.
(b) The needs of the disqualified individual shall not be taken into consideration in determining the grant level for that assistance unit: (1) for one year after the first offense; (2) for two years after the second offense; and (3) permanently after the third or subsequent offense.
(c) The period of program disqualification shall begin on the date stipulated on the advance notice of disqualification without possibility for postponement for administrative stay or administrative hearing and shall continue through completion unless and until the findings upon which the sanctions were imposed are reversed by a court of competent jurisdiction. The period for which sanctions are imposed is not subject to review.
1Sp2011 c 9 art 1 s 10; 2012 c 247 art 3 s 6-9; 1Sp2019 c 9 art 1 s 42
Structure Minnesota Statutes
Chapters 245 - 267 — Public Welfare And Related Activities
Section 256.01 — Commissioner Of Human Services; Powers, Duties.
Section 256.011 — Administration Of Federal Grants-in-aid.
Section 256.0112 — Grants And Purchase Of Service Contracts.
Section 256.012 — Minnesota Merit System.
Section 256.0121 — Southern Cities Community Health Clinic.
Section 256.014 — State And County Systems.
Section 256.015 — Public Assistance Lien On Recipient's Cause Of Action.
Section 256.016 — Plain Language In Written Materials.
Section 256.0161 — Forecast On Children's Health Care Services.
Section 256.017 — Compliance System.
Section 256.018 — County Public Assistance Incentive Fund.
Section 256.019 — Recovery Of Money; Apportionment.
Section 256.02 — Investigations; Examinations; Supervision.
Section 256.021 — Vulnerable Adult Maltreatment Review Panel.
Section 256.023 — One Hundred Percent County Assistance.
Section 256.027 — Use Of Vans Permitted.
Section 256.028 — Tax Rebates.
Section 256.0281 — Interagency Data Exchange.
Section 256.029 — Domestic Violence Informational Brochure.
Section 256.041 — Cultural And Ethnic Communities Leadership Council.
Section 256.042 — Opiate Epidemic Response Advisory Council.
Section 256.043 — Opiate Epidemic Response Fund.
Section 256.045 — Administrative And Judicial Review Of Human Services Matters.
Section 256.0451 — Hearing Procedures.
Section 256.046 — Administrative Fraud Disqualification Hearings.
Section 256.0471 — Overpayments Become Judgments By Operation Of Law.
Section 256.25 — Old Age Assistance To Be Allowed As Claim In District Court.
Section 256.263 — Land Acquired By State Under Old Age Assistance Liens.
Section 256.362 — Reports And Implementation.
Section 256.462 — Applicability Of Other Law; Recovery Of Assistance Furnished.
Section 256.476 — Consumer Support Program.
Section 256.477 — Self-advocacy Grants.
Section 256.4772 — Minnesota Inclusion Initiative Grant.
Section 256.4776 — Parent-to-parent Peer Support.
Section 256.478 — Transition To Community Initiative.
Section 256.479 — Customized Living Quality Improvement Grants.
Section 256.481 — Person With A Disability; Definition.
Section 256.482 — Council On Disability.
Section 256.4825 — Report Regarding Programs And Services For People With Disabilities.
Section 256.4835 — Minnesota Rare Disease Advisory Council.
Section 256.484 — Social Adjustment Services To Refugees.
Section 256.741 — Child Support And Maintenance.
Section 256.82 — Payments By State.
Section 256.87 — Contribution By Parents.
Section 256.8799 — Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Outreach Program.
Section 256.88 — Social Welfare Fund Established.
Section 256.89 — Fund Deposited In State Treasury.
Section 256.90 — Social Welfare Fund; Use; Disposition; Depositories.
Section 256.92 — Commissioner Of Human Services, Accounts.
Section 256.925 — Optional Voter Registration For Public Assistance Applicants And Recipients.
Section 256.93 — Commissioner Of Human Services, Possession Of Estates.
Section 256.935 — Funeral Expenses, Payment By County Agency.
Section 256.9365 — Purchase Of Health Care Coverage For People Living With Hiv.
Section 256.94 — Conferences Of Various Officials.
Section 256.95 — Expense Of Attendance At Conference.
Section 256.958 — Retired Dentist Program.
Section 256.959 — Dental Practice Donation Program.
Section 256.96 — Cooperation With Other Boards.
Section 256.962 — Minnesota Health Care Programs Outreach.
Section 256.963 — Primary Care Access Initiative.
Section 256.9655 — Payments To Medical Providers.
Section 256.9656 — Deposits Into The General Fund.
Section 256.9657 — Provider Surcharges.
Section 256.9685 — Establishment Of Inpatient Hospital Payment System.
Section 256.9686 — Definitions.
Section 256.969 — Payment Rates.
Section 256.9693 — Inpatient Treatment For Mental Illness.
Section 256.9695 — Appeals Of Rates; Prohibited Practices For Hospitals; Transition Rates.
Section 256.974 — Office Of Ombudsman For Long-term Care.
Section 256.9741 — Definitions.
Section 256.9742 — Duties And Powers Of The Office.
Section 256.9744 — Office Data.
Section 256.975 — Minnesota Board On Aging.
Section 256.9752 — Senior Nutrition Programs.
Section 256.9753 — Volunteer Programs For Retired Senior Citizens.
Section 256.9754 — Community Services Development Grants Program.
Section 256.9755 — Caregiver Support Programs.
Section 256.976 — Foster Grandparents Program.
Section 256.977 — Senior Companion Program.
Section 256.978 — Location Of Parents, Access To Records.
Section 256.979 — Child Support Incentives.
Section 256.98 — Wrongfully Obtaining Assistance; Theft.
Section 256.981 — Training Of Welfare Fraud Prosecutors.
Section 256.982 — Training Of Welfare Fraud Investigators.
Section 256.983 — Fraud Prevention Investigations.
Section 256.9831 — Benefits; Gambling Establishments.
Section 256.984 — Declaration And Penalty.
Section 256.986 — County Coordination Of Fraud Control Activities.
Section 256.9861 — Fraud Control; Program Integrity Reinvestment Project.
Section 256.9862 — Electronic Benefit Transaction Card Fee.
Section 256.9863 — Electronic Benefit Transaction Card; Receipt Of Benefits.
Section 256.9864 — Reports By Recipient.
Section 256.9865 — Recovery Of Overpayments And Atm Errors.
Section 256.9866 — Community Service As A County Obligation.
Section 256.987 — Electronic Benefit Transfer Card.
Section 256.9872 — Ebt Transaction Costs; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Section 256.99 — Reverse Mortgage Proceeds Disregarded.
Section 256.995 — School-linked Services For At-risk Children And Youth.
Section 256.997 — Child Support Obligor Community Service Work Experience Program.