CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

                        HOUSE BILL 1302

                    Chapter 78, Laws of 1996

                        54th Legislature

                      1996 Regular Session

                FOOD STAMPS--CRIMINAL PENALTIES

                    EFFECTIVE DATE:  6/6/96

Passed by the House January 10, 1996   Yeas 94   Nays 0              CLYDE BALLARD Speaker of the       House of Representatives Passed by the Senate February 27, 1996   Yeas 48   Nays 0

CERTIFICATE I, Timothy A. Martin, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is HOUSE BILL 1302 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.

JOEL PRITCHARD President of the Senate

TIMOTHY A. MARTIN                           Chief Clerk

Approved March 15, 1996 Place Style On Codes above, and Style Off Codes below.

FILED                       March 15, 1996 - 3:09 p.m.

MIKE LOWRY Governor of the State of Washington

Secretary of State                   State of Washington

          _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1302

          _______________________________________________

             Passed Legislature - 1996 Regular Session

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1995 Regular Session

By Representatives Delvin, Costa, Appelwick, Hickel, Robertson, Sheahan, Padden, L. Thomas and Mastin

Read first time 01/20/95.  Referred to Committee on Law and Justice.

Revising provisions relating to food stamp crimes.

    AN ACT Relating to crimes involving food stamps; amending RCW 9.91.140; and prescribing penalties.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 9.91.140 and 1988 c 62 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) A person who sells food ((coupons)) stamps obtained through the program established under RCW 74.04.500, or food purchased therewith, is guilty of a gross misdemeanor under RCW 9A.20.021 if the value of the ((coupons)) stamps or food transferred exceeds one hundred dollars, and is guilty of a misdemeanor under RCW 9A.20.021 if the value of the ((coupons)) stamps or food transferred is one hundred dollars or less.

    (2) A person who purchases, or who otherwise acquires and sells, or who traffics in, food ((coupons issued to another person through the program established under RCW 74.04.500)) stamps as defined by the federal food stamp act, as amended, (7 U.S.C. Sec. 2011 et seq.), is guilty of a class C felony under RCW 9A.20.021 if the face value of the ((coupons)) stamps exceeds one hundred dollars, and is guilty of a gross misdemeanor under RCW 9A.20.021 if the face value of the ((coupons)) stamps is one hundred dollars or less.

    (3) A person who, in violation of 7 U.S.C. Sec. 2024(c), obtains and presents food ((coupons)) stamps as defined by the federal food stamp act, as amended, (7 U.S.C. Sec. 2011 et seq.), for redemption or causes such ((coupons)) stamps to be presented for redemption through the program established under RCW 74.04.500 is guilty of a class C felony under RCW 9A.20.021.

    Passed the House January 10, 1996.

    Passed the Senate February 27, 1996.

Approved by the Governor March 15, 1996.

    Filed in Office of Secretary of State March 15, 1996.