Should EBT Cards Be Able to Buy Guns?

A bill sent to "interim study" this week by the New Hampshire House proposed expanding restrictions on the use of EBT cards, with the stated prohibition on EBT cards being used to "gamble or to purchase tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, lottery tickets, firearms, or adult entertainment."

"Interim study" is legislative-speak for "death with dignity." But before the bill was set aside for this session, state Rep. Tim Horrigan, D-Durham, made some remarks about Electronic Benefit Transfer assistance that buzzed around online and on Breitbart.com.

"The firearms ban is a blatant violation of the 2nd Amendment," Horrigan said. "Cash benefit recipients presumably have the same rights as the rest of us to purchase guns for hunting, sports shooting, or even self-defense. Obviously they don't have much money to spend on that, but they do have the right under the 2nd Amendment to do so."

Here is the EBT card bill.

Horrigan, in an interview May 9, noted he was against the bill for a bigger aim, namely his opposition to restrictions that are "part of a larger battle against the poor."

"A blanket ban like this is a bad idea," he says.

So is there research that people with EBT cards are using them to buy guns? Horrigan says he knows of no evidence that it is occurring. The point being missed, he says, is that these benefit cards do not pay all that much.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Does the Legislature need to adopt more restrictions on EBT Cards, and to specify that they cannot be used to gamble or to purchase tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, lottery tickets, firearms, or adult entertainment?