Pennsylvania House Bill HB2004

Pennsylvania 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 10/30/25
• Refer: 10/30/25

Caption

Establishing the Emergency SNAP Benefits Restricted Account and providing for a transfer to facilitate payment of SNAP benefits to recipients; and imposing duties on the Department of Human Services, the Secretary of the Budget and the State Treasurer.

Summary

HB2004 would create the Emergency SNAP Benefits Plan Act and establish a new restricted account in the State Treasury called the Emergency SNAP Benefits Restricted Account. The bill is designed to keep Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits flowing to Pennsylvania recipients if federal SNAP funding is delayed or unavailable. To do that, the Secretary of the Budget, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, would certify each week the amount needed to cover the shortfall, and the State Treasurer would transfer that amount from the Budget Stabilization Fund into the new account. The bill also provides that any federal money later received for SNAP benefits during the covered period would be deposited into the restricted account and then transferred back to the Budget Stabilization Fund within 15 days. The act states that this arrangement is not a loan and does not create an obligation to repay interest to the Treasury. The bill would take effect immediately upon enactment.

Impact

HB2004 would amend state fiscal administration by creating a dedicated restricted account and authorizing continuing appropriations to the Department of Human Services for SNAP benefit support. It would direct the Secretary of the Budget and the State Treasurer to move money from the Budget Stabilization Fund on a weekly basis to cover temporary federal SNAP funding gaps, thereby using state reserves to maintain benefit payments to eligible households. The bill would affect the Department of Human Services, the Budget Secretary, the State Treasurer, and SNAP recipients in Pennsylvania.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the available legislative context, the measure appears to be framed as an emergency response to protect food assistance benefits during a federal budget disruption. The sponsor list suggests broad support among House Democrats, and the bill’s purpose is presented in a practical, protective way focused on continuity of benefits. No committee transcript or vote record is available here, so there is no documented opposition or recorded floor sentiment in the provided materials.

Contention

The main point of contention is likely fiscal rather than programmatic: the bill would draw from the Budget Stabilization Fund, which may raise concerns about using state reserves to backfill a federal program. Supporters would likely emphasize preventing interruptions in food assistance for low-income households, while critics may question the legality, prudence, or sustainability of using state funds to cover a federal funding lapse. The bill also includes a provision to return later federal reimbursements to the reserve fund, which may be intended to address concerns that the transfer is not a permanent diversion of money.