Welfare recipients may face greater scrutiny

Such abuses may be rare, but they do occur. Earlier this year, The New York Post reported an open-records review of 200 million electronic benefit transfer records from January 2011 to July 2012 found welfare recipients used EBT cards to make cash withdrawals at porn shops, strip clubs and bars. In 2010, the Los Angeles Times reported that debit cards with welfare funds were used to withdraw $4.8 million at casinos and $12,000 at strip clubs over a three-year period. Standridge's bill is similar to a federal law taking effect in 2014.

At the same time, state lawmakers are considering legislation to encourage increased contributions from some welfare recipients. House Speaker T.W. Shannon, R-Lawton, has filed legislation to require adults who don't have minor children but qualify for food stamps to participate in at least 35 hours of weekly work activities. Both measures call to mind a law enacted last year banning food stamp benefits for those who fail a drug test.