Regular Session 2023-2024 House Resolution 0040 P.N. 0497

PRINTER'S NO. 497

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

No.

Session of

2023

INTRODUCED BY MARKOSEK, KINSEY, HARKINS, MADDEN, SANCHEZ, HILL-

EVANS, DELLOSO, FREEMAN, SAMUELSON, BURGOS, KHAN, KINKEAD,

PARKER, SCHWEYER, DEASY, MERSKI, HOWARD, SCOTT AND CONKLIN,

MARCH 17, 2023

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES, MARCH 17, 2023

A RESOLUTION

Establishing a legislative task force on the loss of

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in 2023

due to increased Social Security payments and the end of

SNAP emergency allotment payments; and directing the Joint

State Government Commission to study the impact of the loss

of SNAP benefits in 2023 due to increased Social Security

payments and the end of the SNAP emergency allotment payments

and to establish an advisory committee.

WHEREAS, The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

is a vital public assistance program that provides money to low-

income Americans to purchase food; and

WHEREAS, Nearly 2 million Pennsylvanians currently rely on

SNAP to ensure that they have enough food on the table; and

WHEREAS, SNAP eligibility is determined in part by monthly

income calculations under Federal law; and

WHEREAS, Social Security income is calculated as part of

income for SNAP eligibility; and

WHEREAS, Social Security income is directly tied to cost-of-

living increases as measured by the Department of Labor's

Consumer Price Index; and

WHEREAS, The Department of Labor's Consumer Price Index has

risen sharply since 2021 due to inflation; and

WHEREAS, Social Security payments increased by an average of

$140 per month starting in January 2023 due to inflation; and

WHEREAS, This rise in Social Security payments is leading to

an average decrease of $40 per month in SNAP payments for

249,000 Pennsylvania households; and

WHEREAS, Approximately 5,000 to 20,000 Pennsylvania

households will be pushed out of SNAP eligibility entirely due

to Social Security payment increases; and

WHEREAS, To help low-income individuals and families

throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Government

provided SNAP emergency allotment payments that provided

households with an extra SNAP benefit payment each month; and

WHEREAS, Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023,

Congress ended funding for SNAP emergency allotment payments;

and

WHEREAS, This monthly extra payment raised a household's

monthly SNAP benefit to the maximum benefit available to a

household of its size, or an extra $95, whichever was higher;

and

WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's Independent Fiscal Office estimates

the end of SNAP emergency allotment payments will contribute to

between a $100 to $175 decrease in monthly benefits for

Pennsylvanians; and

WHEREAS, This combined loss of SNAP benefits will be

devastating for Pennsylvania households throughout 2023 and

beyond; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives establish a

legislative task force on the loss of Supplemental Nutrition

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Assistance Program benefits in 2023 due to increased Social

Security payments and the end of the SNAP emergency allotment

payments; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the task force consist of six members of the

House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House

of Representatives, three members recommended by the Majority

Leader of the House of Representatives and three members

recommended by the Minority Leader of the House of

Representatives; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Joint

State Government Commission to assist the task force and conduct

a study on the impact of the loss of SNAP benefits in 2023 due

to increased Social Security payments and the end of the SNAP

emergency allotment payments; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission study

ways to offset these losses for SNAP recipients, how to further

tackle food insecurity in Pennsylvania and how to ensure that

all who are eligible for SNAP can access the program; and be it

further

RESOLVED, That, in studying how to offset SNAP losses, tackle

food insecurity and ensure access to SNAP, the Joint State

Government Commission consider possible roles for both private

and public entities in meeting these goals; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission, as part

of its study, establish an advisory committee consisting of the

following members:

(1) a representative recommended by the Secretary of

Human Services;

(2) a representative recommended by the Secretary of

Agriculture;

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(3) a representative recommended by a public assistance

beneficiary advocacy group;

(4) a representative who will lose SNAP benefits in 2023

due to the end of SNAP emergency allotment payments;

(5) a representative who will lose SNAP benefits in 2023

due to increases in Social Security payments; and

(6) any other representatives from other organizations

that are deemed appropriate by the Joint State Government

Commission;

and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission issue a

report with its findings and recommendations no later than six

months after the adoption of this resolution to all of the

following:

(1) The Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(2) The President pro tempore of the Senate.

(3) The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives.

(4) The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

(5) The Majority Leader of the Senate.

(6) The Minority Leader of the Senate.

(7) The chair and minority chair of the Human Services

Committee of the House of Representatives.

(8) The chair and minority chair of the Health and Human

Services Committee of the Senate.

(9) The chair and minority chair of the Appropriations

Committee of the House of Representatives.

(10) The chair and minority chair of the Appropriations

Committee of the Senate.

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