State Legislative Update: Budget Season

We’ve officially hit budget season in the Iowa legislature, with appropriations bills being introduced and advanced through House and Senate committees this week. We also saw the passage of an amended “MAHA” bill in the Senate, which now heads back to the House. All the latest updates and ways you can take action are below. As always, reach out to us at iowahungercoalition@gmail.com with any questions you may have!

Initial Budget Wins (And Where We Need to Keep Pushing)

The Governor’s budget proposals include a number of key priorities the Iowa Hunger Coalition strongly supports, including:

• $10.1 million in additional administrative funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to cover the funding gap created by HR1.

• $1.2 million in administrative funds to operate the Summer EBT (SUN Bucks) program.
  
  
• $19.9 million from the Technology Reinvestment Fund to upgrade the state’s computer eligibility system for SNAP and cash assistance programs.
  
  
• $200,000 for the Choose Iowa Food Bank Purchasing Program.
  

We should all celebrate these early wins, especially administrative funding for Summer EBT! However, the Governor’s HHS budget does not currently include several other priorities for the Iowa Hunger Coalition, such as:

• $1 million state appropriation for the Double Up Food Bucks program.
  
  
• $200,000 for the Choose Iowa School Purchasing Program.
  
  
  • While not currently included in the Governor’s budget, please reach out and thank members of the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee, who included a $200,000 appropriation for school food purchasing in their budget, contingent upon the passage of the Iowa Farm Act.

Contacting lawmakers who can influence the budget-making process is critical right now to ensure these important programs don’t get left out. Reach out to the key Representatives and Senators listed below today!

“MAHA” Bill Advances, “Welfare Reform” Negotiations Continue

This week, the Senate passed the “Iowa Make America Healthy Again Act,” an amended version of HF 2676, which had previously passed the House. On the plus side, the Senate removed language that would have directed the state to re-write school nutrition standards. Unfortunately, codifying Iowa’s food restriction waiver for SNAP and tying the state’s participation to Summer EBT was included in the bill. It now heads to the House for a final vote.

• Contact your Representative in the House and urge them to vote NO on HF 2676! Iowa should not be rushing to make unproven SNAP restrictions permanent, and should not threaten to withhold summer nutrition benefits for kids if it doesn’t get its way.

Negotiations continue between the House, Senate, and Governor’s office on “welfare reform” efforts. While we successfully defeated HF 2716, SF 2422 is alive and well, and is considered the legislative vehicle for “welfare reform” this session. We are working hard to ensure some of the worst pieces of HF 2716 aren’t revived, and if possible, making positive improvements to SNAP. We will keep you up to date as this develops.