Committee advances summer nutrition assistance bill after amendment; agencies outline costs, eligibility and timeline

House Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs Committee Chairman Brown on Wednesday advanced House Bill 341, a summer nutrition assistance measure commonly called summer EBT or "SunBucks," after the panel adopted an amendment tying state administration to federal SNAP eligibility rules and other limits.

The bill, sponsored in committee by Representative Greg Larson, would create a summer electronic benefit transfer (EBT) program to deliver grocery benefits to children who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. Representative Larson told the committee the program requires an annual application and, if approved on the usual schedule, the first operational summer would be 2026.

The bill's sponsors said the state request includes one-time technology and startup funding and temporary staff. Director Corinne Schmidt of the Wyoming Department of Family Services said the administration requests $1,000,141.93 in general funds and an equal amount in federal funds to stand up the program and estimated ongoing annual costs around $700,000. Schmidt said the request funds two temporary full-time Department of Family Services positions and one at-will contract position to run the initial application and enrollment system, with the contract ending June 30, 2027. She told the committee that the program would deliver roughly $3,800,000 of…