A welfare lottery ban has been proposed by several North Carolina lawmakers.
The proposed ban would keep welfare recipients and people in bankruptcy from playing the lottery.
According to ABC , the ban would effect more than 1.7 million people in North Carolina who currently use food stamps.
Rep. Paul Stam told the News Record :
“We’re giving them welfare to help them live, and yet by selling them a ticket, we’re taking away their money that is there to provide them the barest of necessities.”
The idea behind the law has gathered support but some are worried about how the welfare lottery ban would be enforced. In Stam’s legislation, the merchant would be fined if they knowingly sell a ticket to a person on welfare. The NC lawmaker said that merchants wouldn’t be allowed to sell tickets to a customer who is also buying items with food stamps.
Still, some vendors are worried about getting involved with someone’s financial life.
Peace Street Market’s clerk Aref Peroz said:
“I don’t feel comfortable for somebody ask why or your financial things, so it’s not my business.”
The NAACP is also against the welfare lottery ban. Rev. William Barber said that the NAACP has always been against the lottery and that lawmakers should focus on wages instead of new lottery laws.
Barber said:
“The NAACP, we didn’t agree with the lottery to start with. Rather than Mr. Stam having a side argument, ask him to stop blocking labor rights for poor people and working people. Ask him to have a real conversation about real wage.”
