Governor Signs Food Stamp Bill

The governor signed a bill Tuesday to impose the federal 20-hour weekly work requirement for many food stamp recipients statewide, according to the Gazette-Mail. The bill applies to people ages 18 to 49 who aren’t pregnant, disabled or military veterans, have no dependents and receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Currently, 46 of West Virginia’s 55 counties have the work requirement waivers. On Oct. 1, requirement waivers would be sought only in counties with 12-month average unemployment rate above 10 percent. All counties would become ineligible three years later.