TOPEKA — The Kansas House gathered the two-thirds majority Wednesday to initiate an override of Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of legislation stripping federally funded food assistance from people 50 to 59 years of age not working at least 30 hours a week or taking part in employment training.
The second step in the process of reviving House Bill 2094 would transpire across the rotunda in the Kansas Senate. The Senate vote on an override, which would require support from 27 of the 40 senators, was anticipated Thursday.
The House voted 84-40 — the minimum necessary for an override in the House — to reject Kelly’s veto of the bill denying Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits from able-bodied adults without dependents and not employed at least 30 hours a week or participating in a work training program. In 2022, the Legislature pushed through a law similarly restricting SNAP assistance to abled-bodied men and women age 18 to 49.
In addition, the bill would require parents to cooperate with state child support investigations as a condition of qualifying for a child care subsidy through the Kansas Department for Children and Families.
“You can’t just give something for nothing,” said Rep. Francis Awerkamp, a Republican from St. Marys who led debate on this House override.
Reps. Dan Hawkins of Wichita and Sean Tarwater of Stilwell said the bottom line was taking a step to compel people to join the workforce. Hawkins said there were 2.5 jobs for every person available to work in Kansas, and food aid should be tied to a measurable effort by individuals to contribute to the economy.
“We have a workforce development nightmare in the state of Kansas,” Tarwater said. “Make them go back to work.”
On the other hand, Reps. Linda Featherston of Overland Park and John Carmichael of Wichita pointed to biblical principles of caring for the poor as justification for siding with Kelly on the veto. Featherston read a section of Matthew 25, which said: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.”
“I never heard Jesus say, ‘Take food from the hungry,’” Carmichael said.
Human smuggling
Republicans rejected concerns raised by Latino and Black Democrats apprehensive House Bill 2350 would be used by law enforcement for racial profiling. Kelly vetoed the measure supporters said would crack down on human smuggling, but Democrats said it was written broadly so it could be used to punish anyone who helped an immigrant.
Rep. John Alcala, a Topeka Democrat, warned of unintended consequences.
“It’s more than just about a human smuggling bill,” Alcala said. “It really is about profiling and it could create tons of racial tensions. I think the bill is very, very targeted for people from Latin American countries that come here to work because our people and your people wont.”
Rep. Carrie Barth, a Baldwin City Republican, said intent of the bill was to get at human trafficking by smugglers, referred to as “a coyote,” who took advantage of people easily indebted to ruthless traffickers. “And they can never get out of this servant, slavery way of living life,” Barth said.
Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Shawnee Democrat, said Barth’s use of the word “coyote” was a reminder the bill targeted “a particular group of people.”
