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 light of the federal appropriation lapse. This provision is designed to maintain the level of benefits provided to eligible low-income individuals under the WIC program until federal funding is restored.

Additionally, the bill includes a nonstatutory provision that mandates the Department of Health Services to continue providing WIC benefits at the pre-shutdown levels, despite existing statutory limitations, until federal legislation is enacted to restore funding. The newly created section 20.435 (1) (en) will be repealed on October 1, 2026, marking the end of this temporary funding measure.