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Minutes for HB2141 - Committee on Public Health and Welfare

Short Title

Requiring custodial and non-custodial parents to cooperate with child support enforcement programs for food assistance eligibility and disqualifying such parents from food assistance for being delinquent in support payments.

Minutes Content for Fri, Mar 24, 2023

Jenna Moyer, Staff Revisor, gave an overview of the bill.

Steven Greene gave testimony in support of HB2141. (Attachment 9) He stated that the purpose of HB2141 is it would require a non-custodial parent to cooperate with child support enforcement as a condition for receiving food assistance. It would implement what most Kansans believe to be true; that non-custodial parents should make good faith efforts in economically supporting their child before receiving tax-payer funded food assistance programs.

Proponent, written only testimony was submitted by:

Representative Awerkamp (Attachment 10)

Erin Melton spoke in opposition of HB2141 (Attachment 11) She said that Kansas Action for Children opposes HB2141, which would harm Kansas kids by making it harder for both their parents to make ends meet. HB2142 would disrupt informal support arrangement that parents may have and could discourage custodial and non-custodial parents alike from applying for food assistance in the first place. The bill would disqualify non-custodial parents who are already cooperating with child support from food assistance for missing or only partially paying child support, or in which they owe any arrearages. This bill would punish already-struggling parents by making it harder for them to eat - and less capable of financially supporting their children.

Marilyn Harp testified as an opponent of HB2141 (Attachment 12) saying that this bill would only impact very low income workers. Because It holds Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as the carrot for child support compliance, it only affects those who would be eligible for SNAP benefits. These are people who work full time at $8.50 an hour or less.

Haley Kottler gave testimony in opposition of HB2141 (Attachment 13) She said Kansas Appleseed opposes HB2141, which would make it harder for Kansans and their families to put food on the table by restricting access to the SNAP food assistance program. There is no evidence that conditioning food assistance on child support cooperation results in more child support payments.

They took questions from committee members.

Opponent, written only testimony was submitted by:

Rebekah Gaston, Attorney (Attachment 14)

Julie Brewer, United Community Services of Johnson County (Attachment 15)

Tanya Keys, Kansas Department of Children and Families (Attachment 16)

Shelby Ostrom, Kansas Public Health Association (Attachment 17)

Karen Siebert, Harvesters-The Community Food Network; Kansas Food Bank and Second Harvest Community Food Bank (Attachment 18)

Lauren Tice Miller, Kansas National Education Association (Attachment 19)

Leslie Mark, Private Citizen (Attachment 20)

Chairperson Gossage closed the hearing on HB2141.

Chairperson Gossage asked if there were any objections to having Final Action on HB2141. There were none.

Senator Erickson offered an amendment. (Attachment 21) Jenna Moyer, Staff Revisor explained the technical amendment which changed the title of the bill by adding the verbiage "identifying when the secretary for children and families shall review cooperation with child support" on line 1 and "adding disqualification exemptions" on line 4. Senator Erickson moved to pass her amendment, with a second from Senator Baumgardner. On a voice vote of aye, the amendment was adopted. Senator Erickson moved to pass HB2141, as amended, favorably for passage with a second from Senator Baumgardner. On a voice vote of aye, HB2141 passed favorably, with Senator Holscher and Senator Pettey voting no.