With the 88th Texas legislative session well underway, Feeding Texas has taken the fight against hunger to the state capitol. We are advocating for a bold agenda to improve access to food assistance for vulnerable Texans.
Our team has been working proactively with lawmakers in the Texas House and Senate, and we are excited to announce that three of our network’s priority bills were filed over the past few weeks.
• SNAP Vehicle Asset Test modernization (SB 273 / HB 1287): Texas looks at vehicle value when determining whether a person qualifies for SNAP, which can force families to choose between owning a reliable vehicle and buying groceries. Because used cars have appreciated so much in value in the last year, thousands of families have lost their SNAP benefits. These bills would update the vehicle asset limits and index them to inflation, ensuring families can access the food assistance they need during tough times.
• Food assistance for college students (SB 557 / HB 1501): Hunger is on the rise on college campuses, as low-income college students juggle rising tuition and higher food costs. Many students drop out as a result. These bills would make certain that students enrolled in technical and vocational programs are eligible for SNAP, increasing their chances for success.
• Food assistance for Texans leaving the criminal justice system (SB 727 / HB 1743): Texans face multiple challenges when they leave the criminal justice system, including struggling to afford food. These bills would implement a pre-release SNAP registration process to ensure people exiting the criminal justice system have immediate resources for food upon release.
These policy changes would both increase food security and improve long-term educational and employment outcomes for Texans.
The legislative session has only just begun, and we will be working all session long to get these bills passed.