Senate committee hears bill to enroll Alaska in federal summer EBT program; members question fiscal note

Senate Bill 13 would direct the state to qualify for and administer the federal Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program so eligible children receive monthly grocery benefits during the summer, supporters told the Senate Education Committee on March 5.

Sponsor Forrest Dunbar, state senator from Anchorage, introduced the bill, saying it is “a short rather simple bill, but will have a significant impact on the lives of thousands of children and families in Alaska.” He told the committee that “in Alaska alone, there are an estimated 58,000 children who would be eligible to receive summer electronic benefit transfer benefits,” and that the benefits would supply about $40 per child each month during the summer.

The bill would direct the Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) to take steps necessary to receive federally appropriated Summer EBT funds when those funds are available. Proponents said the program reduces summer food insecurity, improves diet quality, and injects federal dollars into local grocery stores and farmers markets.

Gavin Northey, child nutrition program manager at the Department of Education and Early Development, presented the department’s fiscal note and flagged higher estimates than the sponsor cited. Northey said the fiscal note “estimates that between 111,000 children will qualify for the summer EBT benefit,” producing roughly $10,402,000 in benefits issued from federal funds based on benefit levels tied to community classification. He also outlined administration needs the department estimated for implementation, including four new FTEs, contracts for EBT card maintenance and eligibility platform work, outreach and postage, and one-time implementation costs. Northey said the department expects approximately half of administrative costs to be federally reimbursable and the remainder to require a general-fund match; his slide materials and narrative tied the program to the Child Nutrition Program Fund (component 1955).

Committee members pressed Northey and the sponsor about apparent inconsistencies in the fiscal note. Senator Cronk asked whether the state would be required to continue paying staff if federal funding were cut; Senator Kiel and others said they could not reconcile line-by-line figures in the fiscal note and requested a clearer, itemized breakout. Senator Tobin (chair) and the sponsor said they would work with the department to refine the fiscal numbers and consider amendments.

Invited and public witnesses uniformly supported the bill. Risa Lord, advocacy and policy director for the Alaska Food Policy Council, called Summer EBT a proven way to reduce summertime food insecurity and urged the state “not to continue forfeiting this opportunity.” Kelsey Boone of the Food Research & Action Center cited national participation and estimated local economic multipliers, saying the program “is a proven method to decrease childhood food insecurity and increase nutrition when school is out.” Jen Griffiths of the Alaska Children’s Trust described links between nutrition and school readiness. Representatives of food banks — Lutheran Social Services and Helping Hands Food Bank — told the committee they see increased demand in summer and supported the bill as a way to reduce reliance on emergency food programs.

The committee did not vote on SB 13. Chair Tobin said she intends to hold the bill for a future meeting and invited the sponsor and staff to work with members on the fiscal note and possible amendments.

Ending: The committee asked the department for a clearer fiscal breakdown, including how existing EBT, tribal partners, and interagency coordination might affect administrative needs and costs. The sponsor indicated he will follow up with committee members and the finance committee before the bill proceeds to further consideration.