SESSION OF 2022
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON SENATE SUBSTITUTE FOR
HOUSE BILL NO. 2448
As Recommended by Senate Committee on
Public Health and Welfare

Brief*
Senate Sub. for HB 2448 would require the Department
for Children and Families (DCF) to assign all able-bodied
adults without dependents (ABAWDs) subject to the food
assistance work requirements established by federal law to
an employment and training program as defined in 7 U.S.C. §
2015(d)(4). The bill would specify the provisions of the bill
would only apply to ABAWDs aged 18 through 49.
The bill would also make technical amendments.
Background
HB 2448, as passed by the House, would have
amended a statute governing restrictions on persons
maintaining or residing, working, or volunteering at a child
care facility. On March 17, 2022, the Senate Committee on
Public Health and Welfare removed the contents of HB 2448,
inserted the contents of SB 501, as amended by the
Committee, and recommended a substitute bill be passed.
[Note: The contents of HB 2448, as passed by the
House, were previously inserted into HB 2158 during the
conference committee process. The bill was passed by the
Legislature and signed into law by the Governor on May 21,
2021.]

____________________
*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
SB 501
SB 501 was introduced by the Senate Committee at the
request of a representative of Opportunity Solutions Project.
Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare
In the Senate Committee hearing on March 10, 2022, a
representative of Opportunity Solutions Project provided
proponent testimony, stating the bill would help able-bodied
adults receiving food assistance to find jobs, which would
help the workforce shortage. Written-only proponent
testimony was provided by a representative of the Office
Medicaid Inspector General, who stated support for certain
provisions of the bill, as introduced, relating to Medicaid
eligibility that were not retained by the Senate Committee.
Neutral testimony was provided by a representative of
the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Division
of Health Care Finance.
Opponent testimony was provided by a representative
of Harvesters Community Food Network, Kansas Food Bank,
and Second Harvest Community Food Bank and
representatives of the American Cancer Society Cancer
Action Network, DCF, KanCare Advocates Network, Kansas
Action for Children, Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and
Justice, Kansas Children’s Service League, Kansas Coalition
Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, Kansas Hospital
Association, and Kansas Interfaith Action. Opponents
generally stated the provisions of the bill concerning food
assistance work requirements would be burdensome for
families and that it would be costly for the State to establish a
mandatory work program.
Written-only opponent testimony was provided by seven
private citizens and representatives of American Heart
Association, East Topeka Senior Center, Fredonia Food
Bank, Genesis-Thomas County, Inc., Harvesters Community
Food Network, Humanity House Foundation, HumanKind
Ministries, Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities,
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Kansas Food and Farm Coalition, Kansas Head Start
Association, Kansas National Education Association,
Lecompton United Methodist Church Food Pantry, Marion
County Food Bank, Oral Health Kansas, Park City Pride Food
Pantry, Passageways, Project Hope, Reach Out Food Pantry,
St. Joseph Food Pantry and Diaper Closet, St. Paul’s
Episcopal Church in Clay Center, Udall Food Bank, Wallace
County Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry, and Westside Good
Neighbor Center.
The Senate Committee amended the bill to:
● Remove provisions relating to Medicaid
presumptive eligibility, Medicaid and food
assistance income eligibility, and data matching
agreements related to Medicaid and food
assistance; and
● Specify the provisions of the bill would apply only
to ABAWDs aged 18 through 49.
The Senate Committee removed the contents of
HB 2448, inserted the contents of SB 501, as amended, and
recommended a substitute bill be passed.
Fiscal Information
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on SB 501, as introduced, DCF indicates Kansas
currently operates a voluntary employment and training
program for ABAWDs, who may, but are not currently
required to, participate. Enactment of the bill would require all
ABAWDs to participate to receive benefits. Additional
expenditures would be required to provide services to
participating individuals and for staffing needs to meet the
increase in demand for services. DCF currently operates a
voluntary program called Supplemental Nutrition and
Assistance Program Education and Training (SNAP E&T) to
serve ABAWDs willing to participate. DCF states this program
would need to be changed and expanded to be a mandatory

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program for all ABAWDs. Changes to the SNAP state plan
require federal approval. DCF states, on average, there are
approximately 13,685 ABAWDs served monthly who do not
participate in the SNAP E&T program. DCF estimates, based
on historical information, that only 9.3 percent of that total
would participate in a mandatory program. The average cost
in benefits to persons participating in the SNAP E&T program
is $33.45 per month. These costs include transportation,
clothing, and other assistance to enable participants to find
and maintain meaningful employment.
DCF estimates the additional costs for benefits to
participants to the mandatory program would be $511,026
from the State General Fund (SGF) for FY 2023, as no
federal funds are available. Kansas currently receives federal
funds requiring an equal match in state funds to cover the
costs of these services. However, the federal award for FY
2022 was $78,582. DCF states these grants are historically
fully spent.
DCF indicates a mandatory program would significantly
increase the caseload. DCF projects the SNAP E&T monthly
caseload to increase by 1,273 individuals. DCF indicates the
optimal number of cases assigned per worker is
approximately 43. The agency states this ratio would require
an additional 30.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions and
would include 2.0 FTE Human Services Supervisor positions
and 28.0 FTE Program Consultant positions.
DCF estimates additional expenses for salary, benefits,
and other operating expenses are estimated to total $2.7
million SGF. Kansas receives a 100.0 percent federally
funded grant to support these services. DCF states, however,
that the grant for federal FY 2022 totals only $611,726, which
does not fully fund the SNAP E&T program. Additional funds
have been requested and awarded, bringing the total award
to $1.4 million. DCF states, however, these funds are
expended and are not adequate to cover the increased costs
associated with a mandatory program.
Food assistance; work requirement

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Statutes affected:
As introduced: 65-516
S Sub for: 39-709, 21-5701
Enrolled: 39-709, 21-5701