States around the country are always looking for ways to reduce spending on prison to deal with overcrowded conditions. One way they are doing that is by opting out of a federal law that bans convicted drug felons from ever receiving food stamps.

Texas and Alabama recently revised their laws to allow food stamps to former drug felons and now the state of Georgia is looking towards a similar change. The idea behind the law is to help ex offenders stay out of prison, where they run up a big bill for taxpayers across the nation.

Lawmakers in Nebraska blocked efforts by groups wanting to allow drug felons from getting food stamps. Supporters plan on trying to get the law changed next year. Right now eight states retain lifetime bans on drug felons receiving food stamps: Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Carolina and finally West Virginia.

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