Senate Bill 574 aims to ensure continued funding for the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) supplemental food program during a federal government shutdown that began on October 1, 2025. The bill introduces new legal language to create a provision under section 20.435 (1) (en) of the statutes, which allocates a sum sufficient for WIC program benefits in the event of a federal appropriation lapse. This provision is designed to maintain the level of benefits provided to eligible low-income individuals under the WIC program, as administered by the Department of Health Services (DHS), until federal funding is restored.

Additionally, the bill includes a repeal of the newly created section 20.435 (1) (en) effective October 1, 2026, indicating that the temporary funding measure is intended to be a short-term solution. It also specifies that DHS must continue to provide benefits at the pre-shutdown level until federal legislation is enacted to restore funding under the relevant federal statute. This legislative action reflects a commitment to support vulnerable populations during periods of federal funding uncertainty.