TOPEKA — The advocacy organization Kansas Appleseed marked the 10th anniversary of the HOPE Act by denouncing the legacy of a state law blamed for undermining food security and work of the late U.S. Sen. Robert Dole to aid malnourished people.
The HOPE Act, formally known as the Kansas Hope, Opportunity and Prosperity for Everyone Act, was signed into law in April 2015 by then-Gov. Sam Brownback. The measure significantly increased barriers to participation among Kansans in SNAP, previously known as the food stamp program. In the subsequent decade, Republican leadership in the Kansas Legislature has continued to seek expansion of restrictions on SNAP.
“As a born-and-raised Kansan, living just 30 miles from Bob Dole’s hometown, I knew from a young age that if Bob Dole fought for something, it was the right thing to do.” said Jami Reever, executive director for Kansas Appleseed. “His fight to end hunger became Kansas’ fight to end hunger, and to see that legacy stripped away year after year is contrary to Kansas values.”
ON WEDNESDAY, Kansas Appleseed released a report on the 10-year anniversary of the HOPE Act that outlined political history of anti-hunger initiatives tied to Kansas, challenged criticism of SNAP and recommended the state embrace policies to better meet food needs of families.
The report said Kansas ranked 48th among the states and District of Columbia in terms of SNAP access. The state ranked fifth-lowest in terms of the rate of eligible people enrolled in SNAP, Kansas Appleseed said.
“This report highlights the sharp contrast between our state’s regressive approach to SNAP and the compassionate, bipartisan legacy of feeding people that Kansas forefather Bob Dole left our state,” said Haley Kottler of Kansas Appleseed. “Because of these regressive approaches, Kansas has gone from leading the nation on anti-hunger efforts to becoming one of the hardest places to access SNAP. That is not who we are, and it is not who we have to be.”
Kansas Appleseed proposed enhancing access to SNAP to mirror “real needs of everyday, hardworking Kansans.” Research showed participation in SNAP improved dietary intake, supported mental health, reduced poverty and promoted economic self-sufficiency, Kansas Appleseed said.
HOPE Act?
In 2015, Brownback took on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program borne of bipartisan advocacy by Republican U.S. Sen. Dole of Kansas and the late Democratic U.S. Sen. George McGovern of South Dakota.
Brownback signed the HOPE Act to limit adults without children to three months on SNAP during any 36-month period in which the person wasn’t employed part-time or enrolled in job training. In addition, individuals with a felony drug conviction were given a lifetime ban from SNAP in Kansas.
PEOPLE WITHOUT authority to legally live in the United States were excluded from calculations of household size when determining SNAP eligibility, but earnings of those immigrants was counted when assessing whether a household qualified in terms of overall income. The law also forbid use of federal or state funding to inform the public about available food assistance.
Brownback also banned use of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families cash assistance to buy alcohol, cigarettes or lottery, concert or sports event tickets. TANF cash couldn’t be expended in a movie theater, swimming pool, theme park or video arcade.
Brownback said the idea was to implement state laws that could compel people to lift themselves out of poverty.
“The primary focus of the bill is to get people back to work,” Brownback said at the time. “Because that’s where the real benefit is — getting people off public assistance and back into the marketplace with the dignity.”
Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who voted against the HOPE Act in 2015 while a member of the Kansas Senate, said state laws undermining the potential of SNAP and TANF were a mistake.
“The HOPE Act was wrong then, and it remains wrong now,” Kelly said. “Now, more than ever, the Legislature should look for ways to support working Kansas families rather than further shredding the safety net that gives Kansans a bridge back to self-sufficiency.”
Research by a University of Kansas professor indicated state policy or law limiting enrollment in SNAP made it more difficult to prevent child abuse or neglect as well as prevent entry of children into foster care. In aftermath of the HOPE Act, the number of Kansas children in foster care reached a record level.
