The Indiana Senate has approved a bill that would allow some Hoosier drug offenders to receive SNAP benefits – commonly known as food stamps.

Republican Senator Jim Merritt authored the bill.  It would let Indiana opt out of a federal law that bars drug offenders from accessing the benefits.  Republican Senator Vaneta Becker says the current rules are unfair.

More than thirty other states have chosen to opt out or modify federal provisions that deny food stamps to convicted drug felons.  Current Indiana law allows some drug offenders to receive the benefit, but Merritt’s bill would open it to a larger number of people – those who have completed probation, parole, or another post-conviction monitoring program.

Only one senator spoke in opposition to the bill—and it passed 34 to 16. It now goes to the House for consideration.