SESSION OF 2022
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON HOUSE BILL NO. 2215
As Recommended by House Committee on
Corrections and Juvenile Justice

Brief*
HB 2215 would allow people with felony drug
convictions to receive benefits under the supplemental
nutrition assistance program (SNAP).
The bill would remove the prohibition on persons
convicted of a felony drug offense from being able to receive
SNAP benefits and exceptions to the prohibition under certain
circumstances. The bill would state that no person should be
denied food assistance solely because of a drug-related
felony. The bill would direct the Secretary for Children and
Families to submit to the federal government any approval
request required to implement the bill’s provisions.

Background
The bill was introduced in the 2021 House Committee
on Corrections and Juvenile Justice at the request of
Representative Jennings on behalf of the Kansas Criminal
Justice Reform Commission.

House Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice
In the House Committee hearing on January 26, 2022,
representatives of the Association of Kansas Food Banks, the
Council for State Governments Justice Center, Harvesters,
Kansas Action for Children, Kansas Appleseed Center for

____________________
*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
Law and Justice, and Kansas Interfaith Action; and four
private citizens testified as proponents of the bill.
Written-only proponent testimony was provided by
representatives of Allen County Multi-Team Agency Coalition;
Black Lives Matter – Topeka, KS; Destination Innovation, Inc.;
Humanity House; Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and
Domestic Violence; Kansas Food and Farm Coalition; Kansas
Health Foundation; and Topeka Independent Resource
Center, and by a private citizen.
Written-only neutral testimony was provided by a
representative of the Kansas Department for Children and
Families.
Opponent testimony was provided by a representative
of Opportunity Solutions Project.

Fiscal Information
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
Budget on the bill, the Department for Children and Families
states enactment of the bill would increase the food
assistance caseload by an average of 50 cases per month;
the current average caseload is approximately 95,000 cases.
Food assistance paid to individuals is completely funded by
federal moneys and the benefits are passed through DCF to
the beneficiaries; therefore, the benefits paid would have no
fiscal effect on the agency. The increase in caseload would
be minimal and absorbed with current resources.


Supplemental nutrition assistance program; felony drug conviction


2- 2215


Statutes affected:
As introduced: 39-709, 21-5701