If you are on the rolls at Wa DSHS, you'll notice a change.

Their "rules" now state that if you "receive benefit from the sale of a gun", you will be permanently disqualified from benefits.

This causes honest poor people to not own a gun. (Even though it says the bit about selling a gun.)

It also creates a whole lot more criminals.

The only language I see about firearms is that if a court convicts you of selling them, then you're booted out of the program. A common sale of guns or ammo wouldn't trigger that clause, because you wouldn't be engaging in a criminal activity (meaning no court would be involved). Now, if you're a felon who's convicted of selling guns, then yes, you're out. But that's probably a reasonable stance, isn't it? Frankly, I might be OK with them changing that to "if a court convicts you of possessing or selling them."

Have you found different language somewhere else?

Thank you. That's one of the reasons I posted. I knew there'd be clarification.

What I saw was part of an application. And it looks to me like it's intent was to scare applicants about gun ownership.

It said: (Emphasis, theirs.)

We check with other agencies that your information is correct. If any information is incorrect, the persons who apply may not get food assistance.

Any member who breaks any of the rules on purpose can be:

• Subject to prosecution under other applicable federal and state laws.
• Barred from the SNAP program for one year or permanently.
• Fined up to $250.000.
• Imprisoned for up to 20 years.
• Barred from SNAP for an additional 18 months, if court ordered.

If a court finds you guilty of:

Receiving benefits in a transaction involving:........................You may be:

• The sale of a controlled substance.........................................Disqualified from two years to permanently.
• The sale of firearms, ammunition, or explosives.....................Permanently disqualified.
• Trafficking benefits of more than $500 combined....................Permanently disqualified.
• Residency or identity fraud....................................................Disqualified for 10 years.


If read with a critical eye and the "If a court finds you guilty of:" in focus, it is easy to see that what you said is the case.

Even if you overlook the If a court finds you guilty of: and catch the part about selling guns, It still makes it a bit scary.

My point is that they are counting on most of the applicants not having a critical eye, and being scared into thinking they can't own guns, period, or they will lose their benefits.

It does seem ridiculous to call out those specific items on the application. Why don't they expand it to say that if you benefited from an activity that resulted in a conviction, then no assistance for you? From the looks of the application, someone who profited from child porn and was convicted could still be approved for benefits, as long as their take was less than $500. Or how about people who trade their food assistance for sex? You can't tell me that hasn't happened before, yet it isn't on the list.

Also, has anyone ever checked the "yes" box where it asks if you're on the lam? Because seriously, those people have got to be down to their last 2 brain cells, both of which are trying to figure out where the light switch went.

ETA: This is the only application I found through a Google search -- https://www.dshs.wa.gov/sites/default/files/FSA/forms/pdf/14-001.pdf It's dated 2016 so I assume it's the current version. Just thought I'd post that in case there was something newer out there that said something different.