FURTHER UPDATED
SESSION OF 2023
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON HOUSE BILL NO. 2140
As Amended by House Committee on Welfare
Reform

Brief*
HB 2140, as amended, would amend law pertaining to
eligibility requirements for the food assistance program
(Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP). The
bill would require the Kansas Department for Children and
Families (DCF) to assign work registrants ages 50 through 59
without dependents who are not exempt under 7 U.S.C. §
2015(d)(2) to an employment and training program as a
condition of participation in SNAP. Under current law, only
able-bodied adults ages 18 through 49 without dependents
and individuals who are not employed at least 30 hours per
week are required to participate in an employment and
training program to receive SNAP benefits.
[Note: 7 U.S.C. § 2015(d)(2) is a federal law that
exempts the following work registrants between the ages of
16 and 59 from a work requirement:
● An individual currently subject to and complying
with a work registration requirement under another
federal program or the federal-state unemployment
compensation system;
● A parent or other member of a household with
responsibility for the care of a dependent child
under six years of age or of an incapacitated
person;
____________________
*Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research
Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental
note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at
http://www.kslegislature.org
 ● A bona fide student enrolled at least half-time in
any recognized school, training program, or
institution of higher education (except that any
such person enrolled in an institution of higher
education must meet additional requirements);
● A regular participant in a drug addiction or alcoholic
treatment and rehabilitation program;
● An individual employed a minimum of 30 hours per
week or receiving weekly earnings that equal the
federal minimum hourly rate, multiplied by 30
hours; or
● A person between the ages of 16 and 18 who is not
a head of a household or who is attending school,
or enrolled in an employment training program, on
at least a half-time basis.]
Background
The bill was introduced by the House Committee on
Welfare Reform at the request of Representative Humphries.
House Committee on Welfare Reform
In the House Committee hearing on February 7, 2023, a
representative of Opportunity Solutions Project testified as a
proponent of the bill, stating the bill would move individuals
from poverty to self-sufficiency through work requirements or
work-related training and participation, help address the
state’s labor shortage, and help build on the success of
DCF’s SNAP Employment and Training Services Program.
Opponent testimony was provided by representatives of
AARP Kansas, Kansas Action for Children, and Kansas
Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, who generally stated
the bill would destabilize children’s care networks, punish
Kansans who already face age discrimination in the

2- 2140
workforce by making it more difficult for them to afford food,
and add administrative cost and complexity for state agency
staff and older Kansans.
Written-only opponent testimony was provided by a
representative of Harvesters – The Community Food
Network, the Kansas Food Bank, and Second Harvest
Community Food Bank; and representatives of the American
Heart Association; Community Health Council of Wyandotte
County; DCF; Flint Hills Breadbasket; Kansas Association of
Area Agencies on Aging and Disabilities; Kansas National
Education Association; University of Kansas Institute for
Policy and Social Research; and Wyandotte County Women,
Infant, and Children (WIC) Program.
No other testimony was provided.
The House Committee amended the bill on February 16,
2023, to replace references to able-bodied adults ages 18
through 59 without dependents with ages 18 through 49,
which is current law, and add language to specify work
registrants ages 50 through 59 without dependents not
exempt under federal law would be required to participate in
an employment and training program to receive SNAP
benefits.
On February 22, 2023, the bill, as amended by the
House Committee on Welfare Reform, was withdrawn from
the House Calendar and referred to the House Committee on
Appropriations. On March 1, 2023, the bill was withdrawn
from the House Committee on Appropriations and rereferred
to the House Committee on Welfare Reform. On March 9,
2023, the House Committee on Welfare Reform had further
discussion on the bill and recommended the bill be passed
with the amendments previously recommended.
Fiscal Information
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on the bill, as introduced, DCF indicates states
3- 2140
cannot impose additional limitations on federal SNAP
benefits. Failure to comply with federal regulations and
definitions could result in federal funds being at risk of being
withheld. This could include federal funds to administer the
SNAP program and benefits passed to families.
In FY 2022, Kansas received over $30.0 million in
federal funding to administer the SNAP program. Additionally,
annual SNAP benefits in excess of $500.0 million are
provided to approximately 95,000 Kansas families. Any fiscal
effect associated with the bill is not reflected in The FY 2024
Governor’s Budget Report.
Food assistance; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; work registrants;
employment and training program


4- 2140


Statutes affected:
As introduced: 39-709, 21-5701
As Amended by House Committee: 39-709, 21-5701