The Kansas Legislature is proposing laws that make it harder for hard-working families to care for their children.
Their latest effort is House Bill 2674, which would prevent the Department for Children and Families from participating in Summer EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer), a federally funded program that provides $120 in food assistance to families eligible for free and reduced-price school meals over the summer months. If passed, this bill, which basically turns down money available to Kansans, would deny food assistance to up to 266,000 children across our state.
Put another way that means $333,120 will not be used in our local grocery stores — many of which are owned by our neighbors. A sure sign of a bad bill is one that harms our local families and our local economy.
As the president of the Board of Directors at Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, I am proud of the work that the organization does to reduce hunger in Kansas. Unfortunately, it is harder than it should be. Too many bills are introduced in the legislature that make it more difficult for families to thrive — and too much blame is placed on Kansans who struggle to make ends meet. This isn’t the Kansas I know.