Committee Hears Testimony on Bill to Add Photo, Signature to Michigan Bridge Card; Lawmakers Debate Costs and Access

The House Committee on Government Operations on Wednesday heard testimony on House Bill 4288, a proposal by Representative Wolford that would require Michigan Bridge Cards used for food and cash assistance to include a recipient’s digital photograph and signature and to display a photo for any authorized secondary user. The committee took no vote on the bill; it approved minutes from the May 30 meeting by unanimous consent earlier in the session.

The bill’s sponsor, Representative Wolford, told the committee a photo-bearing Bridge Card “could reduce the unauthorized use such as card trafficking or use by a non authorized individual” and said conversations and internal reviews drove an estimate that the state could avoid roughly $3 billion in fraud with such measures. Wolford argued the change would ensure only authorized recipients use benefits and align with earlier inspector general investigations into program losses.

Why it matters: SNAP and state cash assistance programs serve tens of thousands of Michigan households; changes to card issuance or use would affect access to benefits and require implementation by the Department…