Senate File 2039 - Introduced SENATE FILE 2039 BY TRONE GARRIOTT , DONAHUE , WAHLS , JOCHUM , PETERSEN , CELSI , WINCKLER , GIDDENS , T. TAYLOR , WEINER , DOTZLER , BISIGNANO , BOULTON , KNOX , QUIRMBACH , and BENNETT A BILL FOR An Act relating to the federal summer electronic benefits 1 transfer for children program, making an appropriation, 2 and including effective date and retroactive applicability 3 provisions. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 5668XS (8) 90 pf/ko
S.F. 2039 Section 1. FINDINGS. The general assembly finds all of the 1 following: 2 1. The Iowa general assembly, in conjunction with state 3 agencies, has a duty to ensure Iowa children have access to 4 food and essential nutrition regardless of income level. 5 2. Summer can be a time of increased hunger for children who 6 no longer have access to regular school lunches. 7 3. Iowa is currently experiencing a food insecurity crisis 8 as food banks and other charitable organizations continue to 9 report record high demand from Iowans in need. 10 4. There are an estimated two hundred forty thousand 11 children in Iowa who would be eligible to receive benefits 12 under the summer electronic benefits transfer (EBT) for 13 children program, as established as a permanent program under 14 the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, 42 U.S.C. 15 1762. 16 5. When Iowans are struggling financially, they are more 17 likely to buy less expensive foods, which are high in calories 18 and low in nutritional value. 19 6. Summer congregate and noncongregate meals are not always 20 easily accessible to families in need, particularly in rural 21 Iowa. 22 7. The summer EBT for children program offered by the 23 federal government would provide an estimated twenty-nine 24 million dollars to address the food insecurity crisis, which 25 not only feeds children but stimulates local economic activity. 26 8. Iowa ended fiscal year 2022-2023 with a general fund 27 balance of one billion eight hundred thirty-one million 28 dollars. Iowa can afford to feed hungry children and cover the 29 costs of administering the summer EBT for children program. 30 Sec. 2. PARTICIPATION IN SUMMER ELECTRONIC BENEFITS 31 TRANSFER (EBT) FOR CHILDREN PROGRAM APPROPRIATION. 32 1. The department of health and human services, in 33 coordination with the department of education, shall do all of 34 the following: 35 -1- LSB 5668XS (8) 90 pf/ko 1/ 3
S.F. 2039 a. Immediately upon the effective date of this Act, submit a 1 letter of intent to the United States secretary of agriculture 2 to apply for and participate in the summer EBT for children 3 program offered by the United States department of agriculture 4 food and nutrition service during summer 2024. 5 b. Coordinate with the United States department of 6 agriculture food and nutrition service to develop a successful 7 management and administration plan for the summer EBT for 8 children program, and submit the plan to the United States 9 secretary of agriculture by February 15, 2024. 10 2. There is appropriated from the general fund of the state 11 to the department of health and human services for the fiscal 12 year beginning July 1, 2023, a sufficient amount to cover the 13 costs of administering the summer EBT for children program 14 during summer 2024. Moneys appropriated under this section 15 that remain unexpended or unencumbered at the close of the 16 fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available for 17 expenditure in the succeeding fiscal year. 18 Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate 19 importance, takes effect upon enactment. 20 Sec. 4. RETROACTIVE APPLICABILITY. This Act applies 21 retroactively to July 1, 2023. 22 EXPLANATION 23 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 24 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 25 This bill relates to the summer electronic benefits transfer 26 (EBT) for children program made permanent by federal law under 27 the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, administered by 28 the United States department of agriculture (USDA) food and 29 nutrition service. 30 The bill includes findings relating to food insecurity in 31 the state including that it is estimated that approximately 32 240,000 children would be eligible to receive benefits under 33 the summer EBT for children program; that when Iowans are 34 struggling financially, they are more likely to buy less 35 -2- LSB 5668XS (8) 90 pf/ko 2/ 3
S.F. 2039 expensive foods, high in calories and low in nutritional value; 1 and that the summer EBT for children program would provide an 2 estimated $29 million to address the food insecurity crisis 3 which not only feeds children but stimulates local economic 4 activity. 5 The bill requires the department of health and human 6 services (HHS), in coordination with the department of 7 education, to immediately upon the effective date of the bill 8 submit a letter of intent to apply for and participate in 9 the summer EBT program for children during summer 2024, to 10 coordinate with the USDA to develop a successful management and 11 administration plan for the summer EBT program for children, 12 and to submit the plan to the USDA by February 15, 2024. 13 The bill appropriates from the general fund of the state 14 to HHS for fiscal year 2023-2024 a sufficient amount to cover 15 the costs of administering the summer EBT program for children 16 during summer 2024. 17 The bill takes effect upon enactment and is retroactively 18 applicable to July 1, 2023. 19 -3- LSB 5668XS (8) 90 pf/ko 3/ 3