Committee hears bipartisan food-security bills; several measures laid over or sent to Ways and Means

Lawmakers and hunger-relief organizations pressed the Children and Families Committee Wednesday to advance several proposals aimed at addressing rising food insecurity in Minnesota; the committee laid over or re-referred multiple bills so they can move forward for potential inclusion in omnibus or budget work.

Representative Alex Kolter presented House File 777, a bipartisan proposal that would provide $8 million in state funds over the biennium for food shelves, with $4 million in each year of the biennium. He described the measure as flexible funding distributed according to a formula used by Hunger Solutions/the Food Group, and said participating food shelves would receive most of the appropriation; committee discussion noted the sponsor’s intent that the bulk of funds go to direct food assistance rather than administrative overhead.

Representative Taylor Myers moved House File 841 to the Committee on Ways and Means; the motion carried by voice vote. Myers described HF 841 as an emergency, one-time funding request informed by local food-shelf partners and noted the bill is bipartisan. He and multiple testifiers recounted steep increases in food-shelf use and argued that state funds can stretch further when channeled through food banks.

Representative…