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Recommendations on the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s Legislative Appropriations Request FY 2028–2029

On behalf of Every Texan, thank you for the opportunity to provide input into the development of the Fiscal Year 2028–2029 Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR) for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (TXHHSC). Every Texan’s mission is to strengthen public policy to expand opportunity and equity for Texans of all backgrounds. We employ data, our analysts’ unsurpassed expertise, sound judgement, legislative advocacy, administrative advocacy, and coalition engagement to propose targeted solutions for policy shifts that promote, strengthen, and expand justice, opportunity, and equitable policies in local, state, and federal governments. 

Following are our recommendations for HHSC’s 2028–2029 Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR): 

  1. Increase use of automated systems for new and renewal benefits applications
  2. Restore funding to Texas Community Partner Programs
  3. Support more Texas families by ensuring the stability and availability of women’s health programs.
  4. Establish funding for charitable clinics in Texas
  5. Develop workforce development programs to incentivize provider participation (especially, mental and behavioral healthcare providers) in rural Texas areas
  6. Establish funding for informal kinship caregivers to receive TANF payments
  7. Fund Language Accessibility in 211 and YourTexasBenefits
  8. Request funds for closing the health insurance coverage gap 

See our recommendation details in full.

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Blog

HealthCare.Gov Insurance Enrollment Period Now Open!

Now is the time to start making sure you have the health coverage you need for 2026! Health insurance is life-changing. This open enrollment period, Nov. 1 to Jan. 15, is an opportunity for Texans to find and afford critical medications and services while avoiding crushing medical debt. Although Congress is not extending enhanced insurance subsidies, subsidies to make the insurance affordable will still be available, just not as high as they’ve been in the past. 

If you do NOT have a current insurance plan through HealthCare.Gov, have an affordable offer of coverage through an employer, Medicaid, or Medicare, consider enrolling in the marketplace.

  1. Go to Healthcare.Gov to start your application.
  2. Once you add your information, you’ll start to see your coverage options.
  3. Contact a local nonprofit application assister if you need help assessing plans.
  4. Enroll and pay attention for updates from the Marketplace and Cover Texas Now.

If you already have Marketplace insurance through HealthCare.Gov, update your contact information and annual income projection to ensure you receive timely information about your options, even if you’re not ready to decide on a plan. You have until Dec. 15 to choose a plan that will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026, and you can change your plan through Jan. 15. If Congress acts soon and extends the enhanced tax credits, the price of coverage may decrease significantly from the prices you see now.

Get Help Understanding Your Options

Applicants who are unsure about which plan to pick or how plans work can reach out to a local ACA Navigator or Certified Application Counselor for guidance. To get free, unbiased advice about your options, click on the tab for “Assisters” not “All” or “Agents/Brokers,” who often will only show applicants information about plans that offer them commission.

No matter what Congress decides to do on health insurance, there are still a lot of reasons to consider an insurance plan from HealthCare.Gov. The original tax credits that have been available since the beginning of the Affordable Care Act will remain in place either way. All HealthCare.gov plans, regardless of cost or insurer, cover preventive care at no cost to enrollees. Even people enrolled in plans with high deductibles can get preventive care at no cost.

We will continue to push Congress to extend the enhanced Premium Tax Credits for HealthCare.Gov plans—the financial assistance lawmakers are debating right now. Congress established this extra assistance in 2021, separate from the original Marketplace subsidies, to make plans on HealthCare.Gov more affordable. Those enhanced tax credits will expire on Dec. 31 if Congress fails to renew them, putting health coverage in jeopardy for more than 1 million Texans. Contact your congressional representatives to let them know you want them to keep the enhanced subsidies that make healthcare more affordable for everyone.

Gold, Silver, and Bronze Plans

Current enrollees may want to switch from  Gold or Silver plans, which cost more per month because they cover more day-to-day costs for copays, medications, and treatments, to Bronze plans with lower monthly premiums, but higher deductibles. In many areas across the state, some insurance companies will offer Bronze plans with copays to see doctors and get medications without first reaching a deductible. 

You can filter for those plans by selecting “Filter” then “Bronze” and searching for Bronze plans that list out copays in the snapshot screen. Always be sure to review plans’ ‘Summaries of Benefits and Coverage’ to see full plan details.

Don’t Be Fooled By Junk Insurance

Marketplace health insurance from HealthCare.Gov is typically more expensive because it guarantees coverage for medically necessary treatment, regardless of preexisting conditions, and protects against major medical debt. Short-term plans, limited duration plans, and healthcare sharing plans, often  called junk insurance,  are unregulated and offer none of the guarantees or protections of actual health insurance.

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Blog

Government Shutdown Impact on Texas SNAP: What To Expect and Do Today

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Updated Nov. 6, 2025

As we enter week six of the federal government shutdown, the longest in our nation’s history, 3.5 million Texans who rely on SNAP food stamps to feed their families have lost access to those nutrition assistance funds. Alarming information is circulating across media outlets and on the program administrator, Texas Health and Human Services Commission (TX HHSC), website. Every Texan offers the public reliable information about whether the government shutdown will also close SNAP benefits for Texans.  

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is legally required to pull from an emergency contingency fund that can partially fund SNAP benefits for enrollees around the country, including in Texas. Two courts have ruled that the USDA must release the contingency funds as soon as possible. In response to the court, USDA issued guidance to states about how to share those partial benefits with enrollees. The administration confirmed the president will carry out the court order, but will not continue to release emergency funds after this instance.  

We continue to work with federal partners and legislators to push the USDA to release the full emergency funds now and fully fund SNAP in the future. It is the responsibility of any administration to support nutrition assistance programs that keep Americans from going hungry. Food should never be used as a political tool. We urge the administration to prioritize policy over politics and use every resource available to comply with the law that requires the U.S government to release benefits and fund SNAP. 

What Beneficiaries Can Expect

  1. Anyone enrolled in SNAP this November will eventually receive November SNAP benefits when the shutdown ends.
  2. If the USDA follows the court order to release the contingency funds, SNAP enrollees will receive, at a maximum, half of what they normally would. After income calculations, your benefits may be reduced even further.*
  3. October benefits are secure. SNAP enrollees should continue using the SNAP funds already loaded onto their Lone Star Cards. These SNAP dollars will remain available to you even if new benefits are not loaded. 
  4. SNAP enrollees should continue to renew their SNAP applications throughout the shutdown and be sure to answer any letters or messages they get from TX HHSC.
  5. People who want to enroll in SNAP should continue applying for SNAP throughout the shutdown.
  6. Food banks and pantries are open across the state to support families if the shutdown causes Texas SNAP funds to pause. To find nearby food banks, visit Feeding Texas’ food bank finder. Simply input your zip code, click on the nearest regional food bank, then enter your zip code again to find local food pantries. You can also call 2-1-1 and press option “1” for the same information locally.**
  7. Other TX HHSC programs – WIC, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) – are not affected by the shutdown at this time. 

* Under regular SNAP rules, HHSC deducts 30% of a household’s income from baseline SNAP amounts, because the USDA considers 30% of a household’s income to be what a family should spend on food. This deduction is not a change to the program. The USDA sent this document to states to help them calculate benefits. 

** To ensure you are accessing up-to-date information, call the food pantry nearest you directly and confirm their distribution days and hours before visiting a local food pantry for support. ID or other proof of residence may be requiredwhen you arrive. Ask over the phone what documents will be required to receive support before you make the trip to your local pantry.   

Why SNAP Benefits Are at Risk 

In Texas, working families, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities use SNAP benefits to access food. Federal regulations require the current administration to spend federal contingency funds on SNAP during government shutdowns. Those funds are available to the administration for release and require no legal or administrative expense. The administration must simply be willing to distribute the existing funds. Every Texan urges the administration to meet that federal requirement and support community members facing hunger.  

In addition, Every Texan urges Congress to reach an agreement and make the Marketplace health insurance enhanced subsidies (the subject of the debate that led to the shutdown) permanent. Congressional members can support both healthcare stability and food security nationally by making enhanced Marketplace subsidies permanent, ending the shutdown, and funding SNAP. We urge Texans to recognize that political interferences in public benefit programs are driven by a false narrative. Federal funding is available to ensure that people stay healthy and fed. 

SNAP Disbursements Reduced to 65% 

Full benefits for all SNAP enrollees in the U.S. would cost approximately $8 billion per month. While the emergency fund should have $6 billion in it, the administration claims the fund has shrunk to $4.5 billion, so USDAcan only distribute half of normal SNAP funds to beneficiaries. There is no verification of whether these numbers are accurate, and the administration continues to govern without transparency with little regard for the lived impacts of manufactured chaos on the lives Americans.   

Governors and attorneys general who understand the harm caused when transparency is abandoned are continuing to explore legal action that may force the administration to release more funds to SNAP enrollees. We urge beneficiaries and communities to contact their congressional representatives and demand full funding for SNAP today. 

Act Now: Call Today to Fully Fund SNAP!

As the nation approaches the 36th day of the federal shutdown, thousands of federal workers are without paychecks. At the same time, due to H.R. 1, TX HHSC must now verify that many new SNAP enrollees meet work requirements to receive their benefits. To add, these dangerous changes to the programs people rely on are hitting Texans as the holiday season approaches, when many children miss out on free school breakfasts and lunches. Families rely on SNAP to provide key nutrition for their children year-round.  

Year after year, the state’s investments in education, healthcare, strong jobs, food access, and other social services remain stagnant. That means more Texans rely on social service programs (like SNAP) compared to people living in other states. In fact, more Texans rely on SNAP than residents of any other state. We develop and support sensible budget and policy solutions that create equity for all Texans, like Medicaid expansion in Texas, universal healthcare, fair wages, free childcare, universal basic income, and a state income tax.

Now is the time for Texans to reach out and demand that the administration fulfill its responsibility to fund SNAP. The U.S. Department of Agriculture oversees the SNAP program, under the direction of Brooke Rollins. Every Texan urges people to contact the USDA and request the immediate release of available SNAP funds to ensure Texans can eat TODAY. Call 202-720-2791 or email Brooke.rollins@usda.gov.

Contact Every Texan 
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Blog

The One, Big Bureaucratic Bill: Paperwork for All, Food for Fewer.

News is buzzing with details of the recently enacted H.R.1 (coined the “One, Big Beautiful Bill Act”) which will affect the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid programs millions of Texans rely on. As these changes will operate within existing state policies and processes, we are tracking their projected impacts on Texans—from the $1.8 billion dollars in SNAP expenses per year that will fall to the state, to the hundreds of thousands of Texans who will lose some or all of their benefits.

SNAP is the country’s most efficient and effective anti-hunger program and is meant to serve people who, for one reason or another, do not earn sufficient income to meet basic needs.  The bulk of SNAP recipients are children, people with disabilities, and working adults.  SNAP also helps prevent hunger among veterans, unhoused people, and seniors by providing approximately $6 a day on a Lone Star Card for enrolled people.  

SNAP Before H.R.1 

Texas already has two types of mandatory work requirements, general and time-limited.  H.R.1 impacts the time-limited work requirements. 

Before H.R.1, the mandatory time-limited work requirement only applied to able-bodied adults without dependents. These requirements did not apply to households with dependent children 18 and under, seniors 55–64, veterans, people experiencing homelessness, former foster youth 18-24, and certain classes of immigrants with legal protections.   

There are limits to how long adults without a documented disability or dependents can receive SNAP benefits. Able-Bodied Adults without Dependents (ABAWDs) are limited to three months of benefits every three years unless they meet SNAP work requirements. While receiving SNAP benefits, ABAWDs must work with TWC to document that they work, train, or complete E&T programs for 80 hours per month. These time-limited work requirements are so cumbersome to meet, track, and report that most ABAWDs are unable or unwilling to meet the requirements. Therefore, in Texas, we only have about 136,000 people each year that TWC is federally mandated to assist in finding E&T slots and the agency struggles to meet that mandate due to a lack of available slots in which to place people. The number of ABAWD time-limited participants is about to balloon because H.R.1 eliminates many of the exempted populations. 

SNAP After H.R.1 

With the passage of H. R.1, lawmakers expanded work requirements so that caretakers of children 14–18, caretakers of dependents over 18 (think an aging parent above 54), unhoused people, and veterans must work or participate in a TWC-approved program at least 80 hours a month.  Moving forward, formerly exempt people will need to meet the same work requirements that prevent so many able-bodied adults without dependents from benefiting from SNAP for more than three months in three years. That policy shift is the result of H.R.1.  

The following table outlines the general provisions of H.R.1’s changes and their impact on Texas. This analysis concerns the third issue in the list below, SNAP Work Requirement Time Limits for Able-Bodied Adults, and some Texas-specific policies that will increase the number of people who lose SNAP because of the new law in Texas. 

Although we cannot change the federal funding cuts to SNAP that will remove SNAP benefits for so many, advocates can work with HHSC to remove some Texas-specific obstacles to SNAP enrollment. If successful, our advocacy can help tens of thousands of children and seniors keep their access to SNAP in the coming years.  

Texas SNAP enrollees face two unique challenges as H.R.1 takes effect: 

  1. HHSC’s Full Family Sanctions policy; and  
  2. Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) houses a backlog of SNAP work requirement cases requiring placements and follow-up. 

Both are beyond SNAP recipients’ control but will affect their household’s benefits. 

Full Family Sanctions 

‘Full family sanctions’ is a Texas HHSC policy that compounds the detrimental impact of the new law’s work requirements. The sanction occurs when the primary parent or caretaker in a SNAP household cannot meet the 80 hours of work per month HHSC requires to receive SNAP benefits. As a result of not meeting required hours, HHSC removes the entire household from the SNAP program for up to six months until the head of household can reapply and/or demonstrate they are actively meeting the work requirements. When implemented, these sanctions cause children and dependent seniors to lose their benefits, even though they themselves don’t have to meet the work requirements—only the head of the household does.   

The Sanctioning Process 

To enforce work requirements, Texas HHSC and TWC work with the USDA to prioritize monitoring SNAP recipients with mandatory time-limited requirements.  This means people who used to be exempt from the work requirements are now the most stringently monitored of all SNAP recipients. 

TWC monitors individuals’ work-related efforts and refers those who have not worked sufficient hours back to HHSC. HHSC sends a letter to SNAP recipients requiring them to demonstrate that they have ‘good cause’ to have not met their required work hours. The SNAP recipient must respond to the good cause letter in 10 days. Then, HHSC decides to either reinstate the SNAP recipient in the program, or they can keep the household off benefits and bar them from reapplying for up to six months. Recipients also need to keep a record of job-related activities to submit to TWC, who must process and verify this record. 

  • Example 1: Before the bill, a caretaker could drop in their working hours to care for their dependents without sanctions. With the new bill, caretakers cannot drop below the 80-hour requirement unless they get approved for a ‘good cause.’  If they cannot meet the ‘good cause’ exemption or are delayed in responding to the letter, then the full family sanction goes into effect. Because the caretaker couldn’t meet 80 hours of work that month, the household and any children are also removed from the program.  They can be reinstated after a month of meeting requirements.  

  • Example 2: While the example above is for caretakers, work requirements also expand to include veterans, seniors aged 55-64, people experiencing homelessness, foster youth who age out of the foster program, lawful immigrants, and asylum seekers or refugees.  This means a 62-year-old who started receiving SNAP when they were 60 will be removed from the program unless they join a job training program or get work. This is a challenging process in a state whose primary workforces are technology, government, healthcare, and education.  Professional jobs require staying current and maintaining certain certifications which also cost money to renew or begin.  Other meaningful jobs such as those in agriculture, restaurants, or retail industries require physical stamina that seniors (55-64) may not be able to perform. 

Importantly, benefits application assisters around Texas and SNAP enrollees on time-limited work requirements for ABAWDS should be familiar with good cause letters. Those letters can help people stay on SNAP now and once HHSC implements H.R.1’s newly expanded work requirements. Providing good cause documentation with SNAP applications now and moving forward will prevent HHSC from denying SNAP eligibility to individuals and families and reduce the time it takes for HHS to reinstate benefits. SNAP applicants, enrollees, and assisters can review the good cause exceptions for SNAP in the Texas Works Handbook policy A-1860. If the applicant meets any of the exceptions, they should proactively submit evidence with their application, mention it in their SNAP interview, and request a good cause letter to have on hand in case of an unexpected event. Most individuals should be able to meet the requirements of the letter. 

The Impact on Texans 

H.R.1’s requirements will affect more than 700,000 Texans, including veterans, aging seniors, and parents who depend on SNAP as an ongoing bolster to low paying jobs or their SSI and VA benefits, according to 2023 PUMS microdata analyzed by Every Texan. These populations need to prepare for losing SNAP eligibility after three months of not meeting the work requirements.   

Between H.R.1’s work requirements for formerly excluded populations (veterans, homeless people, etc.), Texas’ full family sanctions policy will increase the number of people whom HHSC removes from SNAP, and therefore children in those households as well (the most vulnerable population to the consequences of hunger.) Seniors and disabled people will also suffer under this policy. These sanctions put in jeopardy the 354,000 Texans who are exempt from work requirements. That’s more than 350,000 Texans who are disabled, elderly, or children who will be sanctioned from participating in SNAP if their head of household cannot meet the work requirements. 

These changes will also affect our state agencies. HHSC will need to revise computer systems and are expecting increased call volume. TWC will have to dramatically increase resources to meet needs, as their annual caseload expands from ~150,000 to ~700,000 Texans in need of assistance meeting work requirements. Workers from both agencies will see their workloads increase as they review tens of thousands more documents from the SNAP enrollees, who remain confused by reporting requirements and lose benefits for the entire family. 

There’s no getting around the paperwork of the matter for either side of the aisle. The federal changes coupled with state policies mean more paperwork for HHSC, TWC, and busy working adults with fewer resources available, despite studies demonstrating that work requirements do not lead to improved or increased employment for SNAP recipients.  

Furthermore, the USDA Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) repeatedly reports that Texas does not have enough E&T slots to meet the current needs of the state. If program participation balloons as a result of H.R.1, both agencies and working recipients are set for failure. The cost for TWC to assist one individual with finding and maintaining their E&T slot in 2025 is $1,367. They estimate the cost to serve the total current population (136,000) to be $187 million. Under the new mandatory work requirements, Texas will need to serve 738,000 households at an increased cost of $900 million.   

For the second richest state in the U.S., we have the most citizens living in food insecurity. There are already 1.8 million hungry children in Texas, and while the program’s new work requirements are federal law, Texas does not have to compound that with delayed paperwork or a lack of E&T openings. Bureaucratic impediments shouldn’t cause hunger.  

These are Texas’ choices to make. Let’s take the simple step of eliminating Texas HHSC’s full family sanctions and the pain they add to H.R.1. Removing this internal optional policy will ensure children and other dependents do not lose their access to food because of paperwork. We believe that considering the sweeping changes to SNAP and the governor’s veto of the Summer EBT program, this moment is the perfect opportunity for HHSC to rollback this policy in support of Texas children.

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Data Brief: 2025 Texas SNAP Recipient Profile

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) remains a cornerstone program to the food safety net millions of Texans rely on. In 2024, 3.47 million Texans (11.4% of the state population) relied on SNAP to help afford groceries. Even with this essential government program, food insecurity remains widespread in Texas; 17.6% of Texans and more than 22% of Texas children experienced food insecurity last year.  

This data dashboard offers a snapshot of SNAP usage across the state, breaking down participation by county and demographic characteristics. The data reveal a troubling gap between need and access to assistance, as food insecurity continues to rise while enrollment declines. These findings also counter harmful myths, showing that many SNAP recipients are people and families who are working, but just aren’t earning enough to meet basic needs. From low-wage jobs to inconsistent hours, employment alone is not always enough to guarantee food security. Households receiving SNAP have an average median income of $33,000, which is less than half of what the households not receiving benefits are making. This stark gap underscores the ongoing financial strain that makes nutrition assistance not a choice, but a necessity for millions of Texans. 

Understanding where SNAP is most heavily relied on helps shape more equitable policy and resource allocation. Explore the full dashboard to view regional trends, demographic data, and potential policy gaps that must be addressed to strengthen SNAP and ensure it serves every Texan.  

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Data Brief: Medicaid in Texas

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Medicaid is a lifeline for millions of Texas families by providing access to health care coverage for low-income pregnant women, children, seniors, and people with disabilities. Federal and state lawmakers are attacking these benefits to make up for planned tax cuts for wealthy people and corporations. Click below to read our Data Brief exploring the current state of Medicaid in Texas and recent changes due to Medicaid “unwinding,” a cleaning-up of post-COVID-19 pandemic Medicaid rosters that cost millions of Texans their coverage since April 2023. We also share the most detailed view of unwinding data by county, including breakdowns by race, ethnicity, age, and type of coverage.

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Testimony

Testimony to the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services Against SB 379

View this testimony as a PDF.

Chair Kolkhorst, Vice Chair Perry, and esteemed committee members —

I appreciate the opportunity to testify today. My name is Amber O’Connor, and I work for Every Texan. We are against SB 379 because it creates barriers to food access by moving the onus of determining product eligibility to small businesses and increasing administrative oversight to an already overburdened HHSC. But, I want to call attention to how this bill will affect people.  Allow me to share two scenarios. 

First, the bill says you can buy certain items only if recommended by a health professional.  You’re a parent in West Texas. Your child has strep throat, the doctor recommended you use sweetened juice to hide the taste of antibiotics, so you drive 20 minutes to buy some.  You’re between pay days and need to purchase it on your SNAP card.  You can barely afford gas for this trip.  As you check out, the clerk at the counter says you can’t buy it.  You explain your doctor’s advice, but out of fear of sanctions, and because the clerk has no evidence of the doctor’s recommendation, they refuse.  The same holds true for candy for diabetic crashes, popsicles for tonsillectomies — how will the clerk know? 

Second, you received this month’s benefit and head to the only grocer who accepts SNAP on your bus route. As you check out, you are informed they no longer accept SNAP due to cost of updating the point of sale with each individual item that meets each of the new convoluted requirements. They stopped accepting SNAP because it cost the retailer too much to maintain the program.  HHSC will have to make the decisions about which items are SNAP eligible on an item-by-item basis and train and monitor the vendors instead of relying on federally provided training and technical support materials.  This ongoing bureaucratic burden is unsustainable. 

It also bears mentioning, this bill will do additional harm to people living in shelters or people experiencing homelessness, as they do not have access to kitchens or refrigeration. 

Thank you for the opportunity to testify against SB 379. 

View this testimony as a PDF.

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Data Brief: Poverty In Texas

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Poverty affects the lives of countless Texas children and families, shaping their access to essential resources, opportunities, and long-term stability. Poverty intersects with education, health, and economic well-being, resulting in systemic barriers that are difficult to overcome. Understanding these disparities is essential to driving meaningful change and developing solutions that meet the unique needs of communities across the state. 

This Data Brief examines key data trends related to poverty in Texas while uncovering how they impact families’ ability to thrive. From widening gaps in educational access that limit future opportunities to struggles with housing instability, food insecurity, and inadequate health care, the data reveal the profound challenges many Texans face daily. Children in low-income households often experience barriers to early childhood education, which can have long-term effects on their academic success and career prospects. Likewise, families in rural and underserved areas may have to travel long distances to access basic health services, exacerbating existing health disparities. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted, equitable solutions that address not only the symptoms of poverty but also its root causes. 

To dive deeper into these findings, click here to explore the full storymap. This interactive tool provides a comprehensive look at poverty across Texas, offering regional and demographic breakdowns that reveal how different communities are affected. By visualizing the data, we can better understand the structural factors driving economic hardship and identify actionable steps to support struggling families. Whether through expanding social safety nets, investing in education, or improving access to health care, addressing poverty requires a coordinated, data-driven approach that prioritizes the well-being of all Texans. 

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Food Insecurity Is a Texas Crisis

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View as a PDF. 

Where you live shouldn’t determine whether you can feed your family. Geographical justice in food security means ensuring everyone, no matter their race, income, zip code, or any other factor, has access to nutritious food. Areas designated as Low-Income (LI), Low-Access (LA), or both (LI/LA) are often called food deserts — a term that highlights systemic barriers preventing communities from accessing affordable, healthy food.

  • LI = below 185% of the poverty line, at least 20% of the tract is LI, and average family income is at or below 80% of the state/metro area median income.

  • LA = at least 33% of the population live more than 1 mile from a grocery in urban areas and 10 miles from a grocery in rural areas.

Food insecurity is a Texas crisis.

  • Texas is #2 in the nation for the highest rate of hunger.
  • Texas is sprawling with poor public transit options.
  • Texas ranks #1 in USDA low-income, low-access food deserts.
  • Texas DSHS reports that in 2023, 7 in 10 adults in Texas are at risk diet-related health conditions.

These LI and LA tracts exist in both rural and city environments. It’s clear that low incomes occur regardless of urban or rural settings and that has root causes in Texas’ low wages compared to cost of living and systemic issues with race, class, and education that also need to be addressed. Texas has its vibrant sprawling cities, and it has massive tracts of rural land where people are working, playing, and providing food to those of us in the cities. 

If you can’t imagine low access to food in a city, consider:

  • You live in a historically impoverished neighborhood due to old policies such as redlining, or ongoing gentrification that has pushed low-income families out of thriving communities and further from the center of town where they could access public transit and convenient food stores.
  • You live in a city with poor public transportation and your transit doesn’t go past stores with fresh food.

Studies have shown that as neighborhood poverty increases, grocery stores become sparser, forcing low-income families to navigate limited food access on top of financial hardship.

Rural hunger is easier to picture in Texas. We know the long stretches from Caddo to El Paso and Lubbock to Padre. We’ve seen towns with little more than a gas station and a Waffle House. Now imagine living there — maybe you have a car, but the nearest grocery store that accepts SNAP is miles away. Delivery services? Either too expensive or nonexistent.

These challenges and more exist across our vast, diverse, and growing state. Texans take pride in our booming cities, but we also value our rural communities and the resources they provide. This legislative session, we have key opportunities to support both.

Take action

This session, you can support bills that address rural and redlined hunger and advocate for equitable food access across Texas.

  • HB 231 (Morales): Calls for research on USDA-designated low-income, low-access (LI/LA) areas to identify root causes and impacts on Texans.
  • HB 821 (Bernal): Expands access to nutritious food by funding the creation, maintenance, and expansion of grocery stores that accept EBT in LI/LA areas.
  • HB 434 (Lopez): Helps SNAP recipients over 65 and those with ADA-designated disabilities recover costs for grocery delivery.
  • Other bills: Stay engaged and support additional legislation that improves food access in Texas!

View as a PDF. 

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Blog

The Farm Bill Feeds Texans

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As Texas dives headlong into its 89th legislative session, all eyes are on the Capitol. However, we don’t want to lose the forest for the trees. Texas may have to set its budget before we know what happens in Washington, D.C. Many of the bills currently introduced in the Texas House and Senate are federally funded through the ‘farm bill’ (the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018). Without the farm bill, Texas cannot sufficiently fund school meals or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).  

Texans must act now. This is a particularly challenging year, as the current provisions for reauthorization expired on Sept. 30, 2024. Republicans reportedly let it expire intentionally so that it could be reviewed under the new administration. The last time this budget changed was in 2018. 

What’s the Problem? 

The presidential election and congressional tactics at the federal level left the farm bill idling until now. We may need a temporary farm bill (by Dec. 20, 2024) to get us through until January’s budget reconciliation (the congressional process of approving the federal budget). This means that the Trump administration has an additional opportunity to cut spending on food and nutrition-based assistance, identified by his platform in both Project 25 and Agenda 47 as opportunities for spending cuts.  

Partisan politicians are using the urgent need to pass the bill to pit farmers against individuals receiving food and nutrition benefits. 80% of the current (2018) bill is earmarked for food and nutrition programs. Before the presidential election, Republicans indicated they would allow the benefits at current levels, but in turn would permanently remove the ability for any future president to increase the benefits. This is unacceptable. If funding for farmers can increase based on market forces, so can food and nutrition benefits. 

Is There a Solution? 

Currently, talks indicate that Congress will either pass a resolution to extend the current version of the bill for one year, through September 2025, or pass a new five-year farm bill by Dec. 20, 2024. A major point of contention is that Senate Republicans are pushing for around $10-15 billion in emergency aid to farmers – innocuous enough, except that they want to pull the money from the nutrition programs’ funding. In turn, Senate Democrats –namely Senator Debbie Stabenow – put forth a farm bill that suggested using money from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to fund the aid for farmers. Under the Democrats’ proposal, Texas would get the largest share of the payments and be able to feed its communities. Many viewed the Democrats’ proposal as a win-win, but conservative hold outs are standing firmly against, as Speaker Johnson maintains the GOP will not support IRA funding. Quoted in Dec. 14’s Hagstrom Report, Stabenow and Scott explained: “Republican leadership turned down this $10 billion proposal, rejecting needed economic assistance and increased conservation spending for decades. It is important to stress that this proposal is paid for and does not take any funding away from the critical natural disaster aid that has been requested.” Stabenow’s plan had funding for both farmers and SNAP, but because the GOP refused this compromise, we are at a stalemate with all farm bill-related funding ending on Dec. 20. It is pure partisan posturing that the bill cannot get passed. 

It is true that farmers are hurting and need financial support, especially as climate change continues to worsen. Farmers are key in supporting efforts toward food security, however support for them should not be contingent on other Texans going hungry.  

Why Should You Care? 

Our great state has higher food insecurity than the national average, yet both federal and state governments are poised to slash more funding. The 89th Legislature is considering spending cuts on school lunches, school breakfasts, and who and what SNAP will cover going forward. If a conservative federal government is signaling their support of these cuts, we know Texas will follow suit.  

In addition to potential federal and state cuts to food and nutrition programs, Texas chose to leave nearly $500 million in the hands of the federal government rather than use it to feed approximately 3.7 million kids this summer. Summer EBT funding is a permanent federal benefit, one that Texas chooses not to apply for. Refusing these funds further exacerbates food insecurity in Texas; if SNAP is cut at federal and local levels, our already overstretched food banks – who are also dependent on funds tied to the farm bill – will be used to fill in the gaps. Many Texas children will go hungry. Childhood hunger is shown to decrease academic success, mental health, and of course, physical health.  

What Can You Do? 

The farm bill will foreshadow what’s to come in Texas. If you have school-aged children or support health and well-being assistance for Texans, you should follow what happens to this and other key pieces of state legislation. We need federal funds and state support to continue growing our strong, healthy, and educated workforce.  

  • Call your representatives, senators, and the agricultural committee chairs and tell them that allowing Texans to go hungry is unacceptable. Look up your elected officials here. 

Upcoming legislation regarding Texans’ food and nutrition funded by the farm bill: 

  • HB 314 – A proposal to recertify SNAP benefits annually instead of biannually. 
  • HB 820 – An exemption from additional work requirement for students enrolled at least half time and working in federal/state work-study programs.  
  • HB 567 – Allows a grace period for students with insufficient balances on their meal cards and allows students the ability to donate their balances to other students. 
  • HB 434 – Allows SNAP to cover food delivery fees for qualified elderly and disabled recipients.