BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - The Louisiana Department of Social
Services says oil spill payments from BP PLC won't count as income
for deciding who can get food cards and other cash-based aid
programs.
The department says that business accounts also won't count as
assets.
The rule is designed to help coastal residents who have lost
income because of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, but have assets
that put them over the aid limit. But it applies statewide.
Secretary Kristy Nichols says it will help people who worked in
the seafood industry. She says that without the new rule, they
would have had to use all their savings to get help.
It applies to four programs administered by DSS, including the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food
stamps.

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