Senate Budget Impact 4-14-2011
4-14-2011
The Senate Ways and Means Chair released their budget late Tuesday, outlining $4.8 billion in cuts. As with the House budget, although minimal funding was preserved, the proposed cuts will have a sharp impact on anti-hunger programs for our state.
We expect there to be amendments, and ultimately the House and the Senate will need to conference in order to finalize the budget. The end of the regular session is slated for April 24th; we’ve got a lot of work to do before then!
Call to Action:
Call your Senators and ask them to support the preservation of School Funding in the proposed Senate budget and to support increased funding to Maternity Support Services to the House level.
Legislative Hotline: 1.800.562.6000
Here is what we know about the Senate budget impacts on hunger relief:
Maternity Support Services
The Senate budget outlines $14 million in cuts to MSS; a 35 percent reduction that will impact women receiving the services and the clinics offering them.
The Governor’s budget cut MSS by 50%, and the House budget cut the program by 25%.
State Food Assistance Program
The Senate budget includes a $16 million cut in the second year, reducing benefits to 50% for recipients. A lawsuit has been filed, until it is resolved the state is prevented from reducing SFA. There is proviso language attached that would allow the benefit if and when the lawsuit is resolved.
The Governor’s budget eliminated benefits for SFA (reduction of $60m.) The House budget calls for a $30m cut, which would result in SFA benefit levels at half the federal level, but no changes to eligibility guidelines.
School Food Services
The Senate budget would cut School Food Services by $6.381 million. This includes $318,000 in additional funding cuts to School Food Services over the House cut by removing the remainder of the state funds in the School Food Service budget (along with the $6 m in lunch reimbursement previously used as federal match) before the Ed Reform funding was transferred into the School Food Service Section 506 in the supplemental budgets. These funds were specifically allocated through proviso to summer meal reimbursement ($100,000 per year) and additional breakfast reimbursement ($59,000 per year). The latter funds were added in 2004 when the school breakfast mandate was strengthened.
The House budget proposed cuts to School Food Services by $6m for the biennium by eliminating the state reimbursement funds for school lunch.
Farmers Market Nutrition Program
The Senate budget spread the funding for the WIC Farmer’s Market Nutritional Program across both years of the biennium to allow the program to continue with federal funds.
WSDA Emergency Food Assistance Programs
The WSDA food assistance programs (including EFAP and TEFAP) are funded at $10.6 million in both the Senate and House budgets.
WIC
Funding for WIC would be reduced by $800,000 for pass through to local WIC providers. The DOH will work with local providers to ensure that no federal funds are lost as state general fund is no longer provided and is replaced with state level federal funds.
Farm to School
The Senate proposed no cuts to Farm to School. The House budget proposed eliminating State general fund support for the WSDA’s international and domestic marketing programs, including Farm to School.
More changes to the budget will come as it is finalized, and will keep you up-to-date as information becomes available.
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