2011 Legislative Priorities

Maintain the State Food Assistance Program for all currently eligible recipients

The State Food Assistance program extends the positive reach of food stamps by ensuring their availability to very low-income new Washingtonians and its elimination would deal another setback to local communities by damaging the program’s effectiveness and increasing hunger. DSHS and the Governor propose eliminating all funding for State Food Assistance (SFA) Program for the current biennium and beyond. The cost of SFA from February for the 2011-13 biennium is approximately $60 million.

• The House budget calls for a $30m cut, which would result in SFA benefit levels at half the federal level, but no changes to eligibility guidelines.
• The Senate budget includes a $16 million cut in the second year, reducing benefits to 50% for recipients.

Preserve WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program

The WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program provides critical food assistance to low-income families and economic support for Washington’s family farms.  DOH and the Governor propose to eliminate the program in the 2011-13 budget, impacting the 2012 farmer’s market season and beyond.

• ·Due to shared administrative support, cuts to the WIC FMNP put the Senior FMNP at risk as well, resulting in a total loss of over $1.4 million in Washington’s local agricultural economy.
• ·The Senate budget spreads the funding for the WIC Farmer’s Market Nutritional Program across both years of the biennium to allow the program to continue with federal funds.

Restore funding for School Lunch Programs

The school lunch program provides healthy nutritious meals to children across Washington State.  The $3 million cut passed by both the House and Senate eliminates a $.02 per meal reimbursement to individual districts; funds have been used to increase the quality of food served. Because most meals that are served in Washington State are served to low income students this cut disproportionately impacts school districts that serve low income communities.

• The House budget proposed cuts to School Food Services by $6m for the biennium by eliminating the state reimbursement funds for school lunch.
• The Senate budget would cut School Food Services by $6.381 million. This includes $318,000 in additional funding cuts to School Food Services over the House cut by removing the remainder of the state funds in the School Food Service budget.

Continue strong support of the WSDA Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP)

EFAP provides crucial funding for food, staff and transportation for local food banks across the state. Last year food banks receiving EFAP funds served over 1.5 million clients in need, a 32% increase since 2007.

• In response to cuts to other critical safety net services, the Governor’s 2011-13budget added funds to EFAP.
• ·The WSDA food assistance programs (including EFAP and TEFAP) are funded at $10.6 million in both the Senate and House budgets.

Preserve Maternity Support Services

MSS helps Washington mothers have healthy babies: nutritionists, social workers, community health workers and public health nurses work with pregnant women and new mothers to support better birth outcomes and a healthy start in early childhood. Funding for MSS is critical to keeping the doors open to clinics where families receive their WIC food benefits and nutrition counseling.

• The Governor’s budget cut MSS by 50%, and the House budget cut the program by 25%.
• The Senate budget outlines $14 million in cuts to MSS; a 35 percent reduction that will impact women receiving the services and the clinics offering them.