On Tuesday, February 28, both HF 3 and SSB 1105 came before their respective Health and Human Services Committees. Both bills advanced out committee with amendment – on a party-line vote in the Senate, and with two Republicans (Rep. Eddie Andrews and Rep. Brian Lohse) joining the Democrats to vote against House File 3 in the House.
Please take the time to send a note of thanks to all those who voted against these bad bills!
House File 3 has been renumbered to House File 613, and Senate Study Bill 1105 has been renumbered to Senate File 494.
While this is a frustrating setback, we’re not done fighting. House File 613 and Senate File 494 are now both eligible for floor debate. Both bills were amended to align language between them, but there are still some differences between the bills. HF 613 contains some additional pieces that are not included in SF 494.
Please contact your Representative and Senator and tell them to vote “NO” on HF 613 / SF 494 should they come to the floor!
We have also updated the Protect SNAP page on our website with updated information about the bills, and “SNAP Basics” handouts for all legislators.
Let’s not forget – SNAP enrollment in Iowa is at a 14-year low right now. SNAP benefits are 100% federally funded, and the state has a 50-50 cost share on administrative costs with the USDA, which have remained stable for over 10 years. This legislation is a solution in search of a problem.
