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Legal-aid and community advocates back SB497 to shield Connecticut residents from federal SNAP/Husky cuts
Summary
Legal services, community organizers and food-justice advocates told the Human Services Committee that federal changes to SNAP and Husky threaten food security and urged passage of SB497 and related measures to protect veterans, people with barriers to work, and to create food-as-medicine pilots under Medicaid.
Advocates and legal-aid representatives urged the Human Services Committee to pass SB497, which supporters say would protect food security for veterans and other groups facing tighter federal SNAP rules and help mitigate federal cuts to nutritional assistance.
"Last year, 12% of Connecticut households, 450,110 of our neighbors used SNAP benefits," said Gene Mills of Connecticut Legal Services, who testified in favor of SB497. Mills and other witnesses said HR1 tightened SNAP eligibility and expanded work requirements; he cited a DSS estimate that about 36,000 Connecticut residents could lose SNAP benefits under the federal changes.
Witnesses described SB497 provisions that would exempt veterans from work requirements, provide temporary benefits (testimony described assistance at levels of at least $194/month for up to a year for some vulnerable people), add caretaker categories to exemptions, and create a Medicaid 'food as medicine' pilot and an annual cost‑of‑living adjustment for Meals on Wheels providers serving the state home-care program.
Advocates from food‑justice and reentry organizations also urged the committee to remove overly broad questions on SNAP applications that deter applicants with past supervision or probation issues and to align state processes so eligible residents do not lose benefits due to paperwork or technical supervision questions.
Supporters said the proposals would help prevent hunger, protect school meal access, and reduce avoidable hospital visits by stabilizing nutrition and coverage. The bill drew broad support from nonprofit providers, legal advocates and community organizers during the hearing; the committee did not vote at the session's end.
