AUGUSTA — State Rep. Sharri MacDonald, R-Old Orchard Beach, is sponsoring welfare reform legislation introduced by the governor that she says will control welfare abuse.

The bill, LD 1822, An Act To Increase Integrity in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program, would make it illegal to use TANF benefits to purchase tobacco, liquor, imitation liquor, gambling and lottery tickets, or to post bail.

“This is a much-needed measure to bring some sanity to Maine’s welfare system,” said MacDonald in a written statement.

She said she has seen “all sorts of welfare abuse” by customers at her family’s convenience store, and friends have told her they have witnessed this as well.

“All of the constituents I speak with ”“ Democrat, Republican or independent ”“ are concerned about the welfare fraud and abuse they see nearly every day,” said MacDonald in the statement. “So far, it just seems to be my Democratic colleagues in the Legislature who are content with the status quo and don’t want to see reform.”

The bill is one of four welfare reform bills before the Legislature. MacDonald presented the bill before the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee during its public hearing on Tuesday.

Advocate Jim Devine, on behalf of Homeless Voices for Justice, testified against the bill at Tuesday’s public hearing. In written testimony, Devine stated that he felt the energy put into the effort to reduce fraud was “misguided,” and strengthens negative stereotypes of people with low incomes.

“Fraud is not the problem,” said Devine. “Poverty is.”

Holly Lusk, senior health policy advisor for Gov. Paul LePage, said in written testimony that federal law has outlined goals for the TANF program, which includes assisting needy families to care for children, and to promote work and marriage in order to reduce dependency. States are allowed flexibility in administering the federal TANF funds, she said.

“We believe that spending TANF dollars on alcohol, tobacco, lottery tickets, gambling activities and bail does not further the goals of the TANF program,” she said, noting that other states place restrictions on how TANF money is spent.

Rick McCarthy, on behalf of the Maine Community Action Association, said in written testimony that the state has already passed legislation limiting fraudulent use of TANF benefit cards, though the alleged misuse of cards is very small. He said LD 1822 would put even more restrictions on the use of the cards, and when similar restrictions have been tried in other states, they have been expensive and ineffective.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.