Week 2 Legislative Update

The second week of the 2022 Iowa Legislative Session has drawn to a close, and what a week it was.

We have seen seven bills that target public assistance programs introduced in the House Human Resources Committee by Rep. Ann Meyer, who chairs the committee. Four of these bills have already come before subcommittees. Three were tabled, and one was passed with an amendment. See below for more information on each of them.

We are still waiting to see when the final three subcommittee meetings will be scheduled – including the subcommittee meeting for HSB 508, the worst of the bunch. This bill would establish an asset limit for SNAP of $2,500, which would make Iowa’s asset test tied with nine other states as the most restrictive in the country. Households with more than one vehicle would especially be vulnerable to losing their SNAP benefits.

If you or someone you know is at risk of losing their SNAP benefits due to this bill, our legislators need to know! We know many people may not be able to physically be present at the Capitol to testify for these subcommittee meetings, especially when they are scheduled with less than 24 hours of advance notice. We want to share your stories with legislators! Fill out the brief form below, and we will make sure we share your story with decision-makers at the Capitol.

If you can’t tell, we’re fired up. This week, IHC board member John Boller penned a letter to the editor for Little Village Mag condemning the attacks on public assistance programs, and Matt Unger from IHC member the Des Moines Area Religious Council wrote a guest column for the Des Moines Register.

Did you write your own letter to the editor about the attacks we’re seeing on SNAP and other public assistance programs? We want to know! Email us at iowahungercoalition@gmail.com.

Update on SNAP Bills

HSB 504 – Computerized system for identity authentication

Last Thursday, January 13, a subcommittee meeting was held for HSB 504, which would require all public assistance program applicants to complete a computerized questionnaire to authenticate their identity.

While this has the potential to increase access for some people (those with transportation or medical barriers, or without access to the required forms of identification), it also presents a significant access barrier to many people, especially those without internet access, limited credit history, or limited English proficiency. This requirement would also go against USDA regulations for SNAP. Were this new computerized identity authentication process an option, not a requirement, it would have the potential to increase access for SNAP applicants and would be in-line with USDA regulations.

Subcommittee Chair Rep. Tom Moore and Rep. Eddie Andrews ultimately passed the bill out of subcommittee with an amendment to allow for an “agent” of an individual to fill the questionnaire out on their behalf. Rep. Liz Bennett did not vote to recommend passage citing concerns raised by advocates.

Contact the subcommittee members below and ask them to amend this bill to make the computer questionnaire and optional process, not a requirement.

Rep. Tom Moore – tom.moore@legis.iowa.gov
Rep. Liz Bennett – liz.bennett@legis.iowa.gov
Rep. Eddie Andrews – eddie.andrews@legis.iowa.gov

HSB 502 – Real-time verification

On Tuesday, January 18, a subcommittee meeting was held for HSB 502, which would direct DHS to create or contract with a third-party vendor to operate an automatic real-time eligibility verification system for public assistance programs in Iowa. Paired with some of the other bills we’ve seen introduced this session, this would create additional hoops for applicants to jump through and kick people off the program. Oh, and it goes against federal regulations for SNAP.

Anti-hunger advocates made a compelling case to subcommittee members Rep. Michael Bergan, Rep. Liz Bennett, and Rep. Steven Bradley with their concerns about the bill. The Department of Human Services (DHS) Director Kelly Garcia testified at the subcommittee meeting about the efforts that DHS is already pursuing in updating their computer eligibility systems. Director Garcia also shared that Iowa’s SNAP payment Error Rate for 2021 was 6.58%, just shy of the national average.

Subcommittee Chair Rep. Bergan tabled HSB 508 without a vote, and said the subcommittee will work with DHS on necessary amendments. This could be a good sign, but it’s important we keep up the pressure to make sure this bill doesn’t come back later as part of a larger package.

Contact the subcommittee members below today and tell them that we should not be creating any more barriers to access SNAP and other public assistance programs!

Rep. Michael Bergan – michael.bergan@legis.iowa.gov
Rep. Liz Bennett – liz.bennett@legis.iowa.gov
Rep. Steven Bradley – steven.bradley@legis.iowa.gov

HSB 505 – Requiring custodial parents to cooperate with child support recovery unit

Also on Tuesday, January 18, a subcommittee meeting was held for HSB 505, which would require custodial parents to cooperate with the child support recovery unit or lose access to SNAP benefits. There is no evidence this type of policy generates significantly more child support payments to custodial households, and there is not a way to implement this provision that does not result in taking food away from children.

All three members of the subcommittee (Rep. Anne Osmundson, Rep. Steven Bradley, and Rep. Kristin Sunde) were surprised to learn that this bill would target custodial parents, and not non-custodial parents. The bill was tabled until a future meeting. It is unlikely that this will pass in its current form, but we need to be sure this bill does not end up in a larger package.

Contact the subcommittee members today and ask them to be clear that they will not support this legislation!

Rep. Anne Osmundson – anne.osmundson@legis.iowa.gov
Rep. Steven Bradley – steven.bradley@legis.iowa.gov
Rep. Kristin Sunde – kristin.sunde@legis.iowa.gov

HSB 515 – Public assistance case reviews

On Thursday, January 20, a subcommittee meeting was held for HSB 515. On its own, this bill does not appear to change anything in existing law. Advocates and subcommittee members (Rep. Cecil Dolecheck, Rep. Marti Anderson, Rep. Dennis Bush) agreed that this doesn’t make sense on its own and submitted the bill back to the committee without recommendation. It is likely that we will see this piece added to another bill or included as part of a larger package.

Interestingly, Rep. Anderson and Rep. Bush both commented that they thought the current process is already too restrictive on people attempting to apply for and recertify their public benefits. We couldn’t agree more!

Contact the subcommittee members today and let them know we should be making making it easier to apply for public assistance programs, not looking at ways to make the process even more restrictive.

Rep. Cecil Dolecheck – cecil.dolecheck@legis.iowa.gov
Rep. Marti Anderson – marti.anderson@legis.iowa.gov
Rep. Dennis Bush – dennis.bush@legis.iowa.gov

2022 Iowa Legislative Session Starts Off with an Ugly Tone

This week, the Iowa Legislature gaveled in for the 2022 session. In his opening remarks, Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver called public assistance programs a “lifestyle.” In Gov. Reynold’s Condition of the State address, she stated “the safety net has become a hammock” that is leading to societal decay.

Anti-hunger advocates, it’s clear we’re in for an ugly session. But before we get into the bad bills we’ve already seen proposed, let’s start on a positive note.

Iowa Hunger Coalition’s 2022 Legislative Agenda

A top item of our advocacy agenda this year is asking the legislature to support the Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) program with a $1 million appropriation to help low-income Iowans on SNAP afford fresh fruits and vegetables. The number one barrier identified by SNAP participants to eating more healthy food is prohibitive cost. And Double Up Food Bucks is a triple-win for Iowa: it supports families, farmers, and the local economy.


While we have a few positive opportunities ahead of us this session, we unfortunately once again will be defending the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) from harmful changes.

On Tuesday, Rep. Ann Meyer introduced seven bills related to SNAP in the House Human Resources Committee. The language in these bills appears to be taken verbatim from SF389, which passed the Senate last year despite strong opposition from advocates.

Three of the bills are blatantly bad, and the Iowa Hunger Coalition is already registered against them. The other four could have the potential to improve the state’s verification system, but more needs to be known about about the cost and impact on people enrolled in SNAP. See below for more information on these bills.

So, what can you do?

  • First, you can contact your legislators (find them here) and let them know you support SNAP and the Double Up Food Bucks program.
  • Second, save the date for the Iowa Hunger Coalition’s online day of action on Wednesday, February 9. We’ll be holding a webinar at 9:00am and will provide multiple ways you can take action throughout the day, no matter where you are in the state. More details will be announced shortly.
  • Submit public comments and attend subcommittee meetings as you are able. We’ll be sure to let you know as those arise. See below for subcommittee assignments.
  • Finally, consider submitting a letter to the editor to your local paper. The disturbing rhetoric we have heard from our state’s leadership can’t go unanswered.

Thank you for your steadfast advocacy to end hunger and food insecurity in Iowa. We need you in this fight now more than ever.


Details on proposed SNAP bills this session

Seven bills pertaining to SNAP were introduced in the Iowa House on Tuesday, January 11, by Rep. Ann Meyer.

Perhaps the worst of the bunch is HSB 508, which would decrease access and kick people off SNAP by establishing an asset limit.

  • Households would face a limit of $2,500 in assets, or $3,750 in assets if at least one member of the household is age 60 or older, or is disabled. The value of a household’s primary residence and one vehicle would be excluded, as would retirement accounts.
  • Asset limits have been shown to discourage people who are eligible from applying for SNAP, increase administrative costs, and discourage people from saving for emergencies. Even children’s savings accounts would count toward the total asset limit for a household.
  • The median bank account amount is $150 for SNAP households (among those with an account).
  • Households with more than one vehicle would be at risk of losing eligibility for SNAP benefits. Having a vehicle can be the difference between finding employment or not, especially in rural areas of the state without public transit.

Another bad bill is HSB 505, which requires custodial parents to cooperate with the child support recovery unit or lose access to their SNAP benefits.

  • There is no evidence this type of policy generates significantly more child support payments to custodial households.
  • There is not a way to implement this provision that does not result in taking food away from children.
  • The National Child Support Enforcement Association (NCSEA) opposed a measure in the 2018 Farm Bill that would require all states to implement cooperation requirements for SNAP.
  • A subcommittee meeting for HSB 505 is scheduled for next Tuesday, January 18, at 4:00pm in Room 304.1. Submit a public comment or contact the subcommittee members below to let them know you oppose this bill!

    Rep. Anne Osmundson, anne.osmundson@legis.iowa.gov
    Rep. Steven Bradley, steven.bradley@legis.iowa.gov
    Rep. Kristin Sunde, kristin.sunde@legis.iowa.gov

HSB 504 would require SNAP applicants to authenticate their identity with a computerized knowledge-based questionnaire.

  • This bill appears to go against federal USDA FNS guidelines for identity authentication systems, which states that “the use of an identity authentication process must be an option to applicants that they can choose to opt into or out of at any time during the application process without negative consequences.”
  • While this bill has the potential to increase access for some people, it also presents a significant access barrier to many people, especially those without internet access, limited credit history, or limited English proficiency.
  • Were this new computerized identity authentication process an option, not a requirement, it would have the potential to increase access for SNAP applicants and would be in-line with USDA regulations.
  • A subcommittee meeting for HSB 504 already met on Thursday, January 13. Please email the subcommittee members below and ask them to change the language in HSB 504 to allow applicants to opt-out of the computerized process:

    Rep. Tom Moore, tom.moore@legis.iowa.gov
    Rep. Eddie Andrews, eddie.andrews@legis.iowa.gov
    Rep. Liz Bennett, liz.bennett@legis.iowa.gov

The other four bills could also be cause for concern. The Iowa Hunger Coalition is currently registered as “undecided” on these bills as we seek to learn more about their impact.

HSB 502 and HSB 507 both focus on implementing new verification and authentication systems for SNAP and other public assistance programs.

HSB 503 and HSB 515 focus on public assistance program fraud and case reviews, respectively.

  • It is not clear what problems these bills would actually address that aren’t already covered by existing Iowa law and DHS policy.