AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49 and Title 71, relative to food assistance.
Summary
HB1835 requires the Tennessee Department of Human Services, in any year when the federal Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (SEBT) program for children is available, to apply for and, if approved, accept federal grants and other federal funds made available through that program. The purpose is to provide nutrition assistance during the summer months so eligible children can continue to access food when school is out of session.
The bill is limited in scope and does not create a new state benefit program from state funds. Instead, it directs the state to participate in an existing federal program under 42 U.S.C. § 1762 when available, tying Tennessee’s action to federal eligibility and funding. It amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 71, Chapter 5, Part 3, which governs public assistance and food-related support, and is captioned as relating to food assistance.
The committee history suggests broad support. The House Health Subcommittee recommended the bill for passage unanimously, and the House Health Committee also recommended passage unanimously before referring it to the Finance, Ways, and Means Committee. No committee transcripts were provided, and there were no recorded dissenting votes in the available history.
Because the bill simply authorizes and directs the state to seek federal summer nutrition funds, there is little visible controversy in the available record. Any potential point of discussion would likely center on administrative implementation, whether Tennessee should take all available federal nutrition funding, and the program’s role in addressing child food insecurity during the summer months. The available votes indicate consensus rather than opposition.
Impact
HB1835 would amend Tennessee law to require the Department of Human Services to apply for and accept federal SEBT funds whenever the program is offered, thereby formalizing state participation in a federal summer nutrition assistance program. It would affect the administration of food assistance for eligible children and could increase access to meals during summer break without directly mandating new state spending, though it may require state administrative coordination to implement the program.
Sentiment
The available legislative history shows strongly favorable sentiment. Both the House Health Subcommittee and the House Health Committee advanced the bill unanimously, indicating bipartisan or at least noncontroversial support for expanding summer food assistance for children. No opposing testimony or recorded dissent appears in the provided materials.
Contention
No major points of contention are evident in the provided record. The bill’s only likely areas of discussion would be whether the state should be required to apply for federal funds every time the SEBT program is available and how the program would be administered, but the unanimous committee votes suggest these issues did not generate significant opposition. The bill appears to be framed as a straightforward anti-hunger measure focused on child nutrition during the summer months.