HF 2421 (LSB 5457YH (5) 91)

HOUSE FILE 2421

BY  CROKEN, BROWN-POWERS, WESSEL-KROESCHELL, MADISON, KURTH, LEVIN, EHLERT, SRINIVAS, and WILBURN

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to funding of supplemental nutrition assistance program assistance benefits.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 234.12, Code 2026, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  4.  a.  If the United States department of agriculture ceases to transfer moneys to the department of health and human services for supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits due to a failure of the United States government to appropriate moneys for the program during any fiscal year, the department shall reallocate otherwise unexpended or unencumbered moneys appropriated to the department from the general fund of the state for that fiscal year up to the amount of program benefits that would have been issued pursuant to 7 U.S.C. ch. 51 and shall distribute the moneys to eligible households pursuant to 7 U.S.C. ch. 51 until moneys for the program from the United States department of agriculture are received by the department.
   b.  The department shall promulgate rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this subsection.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to funding of supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) assistance benefits.
   In the event that the United States department of agriculture ceases to fund supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits, the bill requires the department of health and human services (HHS) to reallocate moneys otherwise unexpended or unencumbered for that fiscal year and distribute SNAP benefits to eligible households at the same level as when being funded by the federal government. HHS must distribute SNAP benefits until the moneys for the program from the United States department of agriculture are received by HHS.
   Under the bill, HHS shall promulgate rules to administer the provisions of the bill.