A proposed bill in a U.S. state would further restrict the possibilities for its residents who are currently eligible to obtain the sought-after SNAP benefits.
This is the HB367 bill approved by the House of Representatives in Kentucky, which would make eligibility much more stringent.
According to official sources, it is already being reviewed by the state Senate, and if approved and enacted into law, many families will not be able to receive it due to the new requirements it imposes.
The bill mandates a review of the financial assets of applicants to grant it.
In this case, with the new provision, the assets of elderly people and people with disabilities cannot exceed $2,750, almost half of the $4,250 still in effect for the purposes
Impact on Kentucky Families
Figures provided by the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy indicate that if approved, more than 25,000 families in the region would be left without the benefits of food stamps, and in these families, there are more than 20,000 minors who will be affected.
Translated into more understandable words, one would have to be poorer to meet the eligibility criteria.
Legislative Intentions
Despite this, Wade Williams, the bill’s sponsor, believes that this is not the goal of the proposal, but rather that it is received by those who truly need it and that the workforce in the state is increased.
He stated that with this tool, the gross income limit, that is, the sum that the applicant has earned before applying taxes and other salary deductions, would decrease in Kentucky from 200 percent to 130 percent.
He also argued that with all the help provided by the government, many people who can work choose to apply for assistance programs and do not contribute to the local economy, something very lucrative in his opinion.
Future of the Bill
The bill related to public benefits will give authority to the Kentucky legislature to decide when the state can request the federal government to waive the work requirements for SNAP beneficiaries who are economically disadvantaged in part.
It might be assumed that given the Republican majority in both the House and the Senate, the bill’s passage into law is almost a fact, but it should also be considered that the state’s governor, Andy Beshear, is a Democrat and could change the game and veto it if the Senate approves it.
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