On June 22, Gov. Abbott vetoed funding for Texas’ Summer EBT program. The program would have provided money for groceries during the summer when nearly 4 million Texas children who qualify for free or reduced school lunch during the school year are at home. The governor’s veto stands in contrast to statewide support for Summer EBT. During the 89th legislative session, Every Texan advocated for the nearly 5 million Texans who are experiencing hunger due to low food access. As a member of the Texas Food Policy Roundtable, Every Texan brought together Texas families, advocates, and legislators to ensure Summer EBT would make food accessible to our kids this biennium.
During the school year, 1 in every 4 children in Texas (more than 3 million) receive free or reduced-price lunch. In the summer, the number of kids who have access to food benefits during the school year drops to 280,000 of the 3.5 million who are eligible, meaning we only feed a quarter of the kids who are hungry in the summer.
“While the governor’s decision to veto the budget line item to fund Summer EBT is disappointing, we’re eager to provide sound policy analysis in future sessions including any special sessions,” said Luis Figueroa, Senior Director of Legislative Affairs at Every Texan. “We understand that decisions made at the federal level have a lasting impact on our state, and we welcome policy solutions that ensure Texans don’t go hungry in the second largest economy in the country.”
The National School Lunch Program is the only source of nutritious food for many kids in our state during the school year. Summer EBT was established in 2024 by the USDA to alleviate hunger during the summer. Without food support, hunger increases in the summer; emergency rooms admit children for hunger, and food pantries are in high demand. Despite the low cost/high reward opportunity Summer EBT presents, Texas has opted out of the program. The program would provide $120 per qualifying child per summer, meaning that a qualifying kid would get $40 a month ($1.30 per day) on a Lone Star Card for three summer months. If the governor excludes Summer EBT funding from the special session, Texas lawmakers will have to wait until 2027 to approve Summer EBT again. The program’s implementation would likely be stalled until 2028, and children will continue to go hungry in Texas.
Every Texan is aware of the challenges created by federal uncertainty and the impacts of federal funding cuts to programs like Summer EBT. The federal government is expected to have moved closer to a finalized budget by July, allowing Texas legislators to consider Summer EBT as one of the governor’s special session items. With more clarity around available federal funding, Every Texan and our partners encourage the governor to prioritize year-round food access for Texas children and include Summer EBT funding in the special session.