2025 Policy Priorities

In 2015 and 2016, the Kansas Legislature passed a series of bills that proponents called the “HOPE Act,” which put barriers into place that make it much more difficult for Kansans to access SNAP Food Assistance, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Child Care Assistance. The policy hurdles enacted by the HOPE Act had significant impacts, damaging Kansas’s ability to draw upon the positive attributes of these safety net programs. 

One of these barriers prohibits Kansans with more than one felony drug conviction on or after July 1st, 2015 from receiving food assistance for life. This double punishment makes it more difficult for Kansans to keep their lives on track, recover from addiction and live as active, healthy members of our communities.

Kansas’ asset tests around SNAP prevent Kansas families on the program from truly saving for their future.  Modest assets allow Kansans to navigate some of the curveballs that life often throws at us– car repairs, home repairs, unexpected job loss and family funerals just to name a few.  In Kansas, Broad Based Categorical Eligibility is prohibited. This restricts the state from allowing more people to access the Food Assistance Program, which makes an already complicated process even more complicated. 

Implementing less restrictive income and asset testing for SNAP would help more Kansas families access the program. Restrictive eligibility rules disproportionately impact households with modest savings or slightly higher earnings, penalizing those striving to achieve financial stability.