PRINTER'S NO. 1629
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1445
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY KHAN, SALISBURY, GIRAL, KENYATTA, HOWARD, BURGOS,
CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, GREEN, KAZEEM, STEELE, HILL-EVANS, KINSEY,
WAXMAN, SCHLOSSBERG, MADDEN, FLEMING, ISAACSON, SANCHEZ,
HOHENSTEIN, CIRESI, INNAMORATO, CERRATO, PARKER, O'MARA,
CONKLIN, PROBST, PIELLI, HANBIDGE, MERSKI, KRAJEWSKI,
SHUSTERMAN, OTTEN, CURRY, FRIEL AND DELLOSO, JUNE 20, 2023
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES, JUNE 20, 2023
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An
act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public
welfare laws of the Commonwealth," in departmental powers and
duties as to public assistance, providing for Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) study.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known
as the Human Services Code, is amended by adding a section to
read:
Section 414.1. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP) Study.--(a) The department shall conduct a study and
issue a report on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program's outreach and application process.
(b) At a minimum, the report shall:
(1) Identify how the department can improve the outreach
process and ensure that Commonwealth residents who are eligible
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for the program can access the program.
(2) Consider outreach strategies found in the United States
Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service SNAP State
Outreach Plan.
(3) Identify areas of improvement for the program based on
strategies found in the United States Department of Agriculture
Food and Nutrition Service SNAP State Outreach Plan.
(4) Identify how the department can improve the outreach
process for underserved communities, including students,
veterans, older adults, immigrants, LGBTQ+ individuals and
mixed-status households.
(5) Identify how the department can improve the application
process to ensure that applicants have an accessible way of
applying to the program.
(6) Identify how county assistance offices can improve
administrative processes to guarantee that required deadlines
are being met, including electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card
replacements.
(c) The secretary shall submit the report under this section
to the following no later than one year after the effective date
of this section:
(1) The Governor.
(2) The President pro tempore of the Senate.
(3) The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(4) The Majority Leader and the Minority Leader of the
Senate.
(5) The Majority Leader and the Minority Leader of the House
of Representatives.
(6) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the Health
and Human Services Committee of the Senate.
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(7) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the Human
Services Committee of the House of Representatives.
(d) As used in this section, the term "program" means the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) administered by
the department.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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