House Bill 6013 would require the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to monitor Michigan Bridge Card transaction data for extended out-of-state use. If the department determines that a recipient’s Bridge Card has been used outside Michigan for more than 90 consecutive days, the department must, subject to federal law, suspend the card until the recipient contacts the department and verifies continued Michigan residency or otherwise confirms eligibility for benefits.
In practical terms, the bill creates a new administrative enforcement tool aimed at identifying recipients who may no longer live in Michigan but continue to use state food assistance benefits. It does not change benefit eligibility standards directly, but it adds a monitoring and suspension process tied to transaction location data and residency verification.
The bill would amend the Social Welfare Act by adding a new section governing Bridge Card oversight and benefit administration. It would affect the Department of Health and Human Services’ procedures for monitoring electronic benefit transfer activity, and it could lead to temporary suspension of benefits for recipients whose cards are used outside the state for more than 90 consecutive days, unless they reestablish residency or eligibility. The measure is expressly limited by federal law, so any implementation would need to comply with federal SNAP rules and related privacy and due process requirements.
There is no recorded committee testimony or vote history in the provided materials, so the bill’s sentiment cannot be measured from debate. Based on the text alone, the proposal appears to reflect a policy interest in program integrity and residency enforcement rather than benefit expansion. The referral to the House Committee on Housing and Human Services suggests it was still in early consideration.
The main likely point of contention is whether monitoring out-of-state transaction patterns is an appropriate and reliable way to determine residency or benefit misuse. Supporters would likely emphasize fraud prevention and ensuring benefits are used by eligible Michigan residents, while critics may raise concerns about false positives, temporary travel, work-related out-of-state use, administrative burden, and the risk of suspending benefits for eligible recipients. Because the bill conditions action on federal law, compliance with SNAP rules and recipient protections would also be a likely issue.