Tag: SNAP benefits

Crown Act Sparks Debate Over Fiscal Note

The Senate considered bills Friday on welfare programs, the Crown Act, oil and gas taxes, and a bill that would affect West Virginia Public Broadcasting. 

The Senate considered bills Friday on welfare programs, the Crown Act, oil and gas taxes, and a bill that would affect West Virginia Public Broadcasting. 

The Crown Act, a bill that would prohibit racial discrimination based on certain hair textures and hairstyles, hit the Senate floor Friday. 

Sen. Charles Trump, R-Morgan, is a sponsor of Senate Bill 496 and the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee approved the bill Thursday evening following testimony from Veronica Clay-Bunch, Miss Black West Virginia.

“Whenever it comes to wearing ethnic hairstyles, sometimes we do tend to have issues with being discriminated against,” Clay-Bunch said.

The bill was read for the first time and then debate erupted. 

Sen. Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, asked for the bill to be sent to the Senate Finance Committee, which he chairs. He indicated he was concerned there might be costs associated with the bill that had not been discussed. 

Trump asked for evidence of the fiscal implications, and then opposed the motion to send the bill to the Finance Committee. He said it was unnecessary for the bill to go to Finance, because the bill would not increase expenses to the state. 

“In fact, I think this bill, if we pass it will reduce, has a chance to reduce expenses to the state,” Trump said. 

He reiterated that it is already illegal to discriminate against someone because of race in the state. 

“This bill simply clarifies that if you discriminate against someone because of his or her hairstyle associated with his or her race, it qualifies as racial discrimination,” Trump said.

Sen. Mike Caputo, D-Marion, said the bill passed the Senate four years ago without a fiscal note. 

“I don’t know what the motive is for moving this bill to Finance this late in the session, but I can certainly anticipate what the motive is,” Caputo said.  

The Senate voted 22-12 to send the bill to the Finance Committee.

All bills have to be out of committee by Sunday, Feb. 25 to have a chance at making it across the finish line.  

Senate Bill 562 expands job training requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients. 

West Virginia has the second lowest labor participation rate in the United States, behind Mississippi. 

Sen. Rollan Roberts, R-Raleigh, lead sponsor of the bill, said it would address multigenerational dependence on welfare. 

“I would describe this legislation as in this bill as a compassionately structured three year plan designed to gradually wean able-bodied adults without dependent children off of SNAP benefits,” Roberts said.  

There is no fiscal note on the bill. Roberts said that counties can fund these programs using opioid settlement funds.

Caputo asked for the bill to be sent to Finance. Tarr opposed the motion. 

“I can’t believe what I’m hearing, quite frankly,” Caputo said.  

Caputo and Tarr debated why one bill was getting a fiscal note, and another bill that would involve programs that require some form of funding was not going to the Finance Committee. Ultimately, the bill was passed by the Senate without Caputo’s motion and heads to the House for consideration. 

Senate Bill 844 would directly affect West Virginia Public Broadcasting. It changes the name of the oversight committee from the Educational Broadcasting Authority to Educational Broadcasting Commission. But it also shifts the ability to select the executive director to the secretary of Arts, Culture and History. 

Caputo read a letter from a constituent urging him to vote no. 

“It happens to come from two of my constituents who happen to be pretty large donors to the public broadcasting system. Now, I’m not going to mention their names, but, ‘I’m writing in hopes that you will vote against Senate Bill 844. This bill will fundamentally change public broadcasting by changing it to a state commission. West Virginia Public Broadcasting is funded by donations, of which my husband and I contribute generously, and bequests. Our donations are specifically for the independent journalism provided by WVPB. We’re not going to be supporters if our donations are simply to a state commission, which can be raided by a future governor to fund other pet projects,’” Caputo read. 

The bill was passed by the Senate and heads to the House for consideration. 

DoHS Encourages Women To Apply For Manufacturing Apprenticeship Program 

The West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS) is encouraging female recipients of SNAP to apply for a manufacturing apprenticeship program.

The West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS) is encouraging female recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Progam (SNAP) to apply for a manufacturing apprenticeship program.

Applications are being accepted for the West Virginia Women Work (WVWW) Step Up for Women Advanced Manufacturing Pre-Apprenticeship program.

The DoHS has partnered with WVWW since 2017 to help women explore, train and secure employment in non-traditional occupations, especially skilled trades such as carpentry and construction.

The program’s Spring 2024 class begins on Feb. 26, 2024 in Charleston. 

The 10-week, employment-based, pre-apprenticeship training program is designed to prepare women aged 18 and older for entry-level positions and apprenticeships in advanced manufacturing. 

Participants will learn hands-on training such as learning to operate high-tech machines to make products used in medical, aerospace, pharmaceuticals and auto industries, in addition to obtaining licenses and certifications.

“Our continued collaboration with WV Women Work creates tremendous opportunities for West Virginia women,” said Janie Cole, DoHS Bureau for Family Assistance commissioner. “It is our hope that the Advanced Manufacturing Pre-Apprenticeship program will help equip women with the training and tools needed to find rewarding careers and make meaningful changes for themselves and their families.”

SNAP and SNAP Employment and Training (E&T) clients should speak with their DoHS county office caseworker. Applications are also available online.

Job Training Would Be Required For Grocery Benefits Under Bill

A bill under consideration in the West Virginia Senate would require participants in a grocery assistance program receive job training if they are currently unemployed.

Job training may soon be required for unemployed participants in West Virginia’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Each month, SNAP provides eligible low-income households with a monetary supplement to their food budget, with the goal of reducing food insecurity. SNAP is a nationwide program administered in West Virginia by the Department of Human Services.

Currently, adults who receive SNAP benefits in West Virginia are eligible to receive employment training through the program.

Senate Bill 562 would make job training a requirement for adult participants employed for less than 30 hours per week, provided that they do not have certain disabilities or meet other exemptions.

At a meeting of the Senate Workforce Committee on Tuesday, lawmakers discussed a new version of the bill that expanded the age requirement for this new provision to age 60. An earlier draft of the bill would only have required participants ages 18 to 51 to participate in the training.

Sen. Rollan Roberts, R-Raleigh, who serves as chair of the committee, described the job training requirement as an opportunity to support residents in need.

“It’s my opinion, after researching all of this and dealing with everyone, we have more resources than ever to help folks,” he said. “I think it’s a great time to be able to help them.”

The committee voted unanimously in favor of the bill, sending it to the Senate Finance Committee for further discussion.

Lawmakers Consider Requiring Photo ID On EBT Cards

Recipients of federal benefits like SNAP will have to have an identifying photo on their EBT card if a bill moving through the legislature becomes law.

Recipients of federal benefits like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will have to have an identifying photo on their Electronic Benefits Transfer card if a bill moving through the legislature becomes law.

Senate Bill 450 would require everyone with an EBT card to be issued a new card, with their photo on the card, to prevent theft and fraud.

Jacquelyn Hoppe, director of the West Virginia EBT office, was questioned by lawmakers about the possible changes to the benefit system.

Sen. Laura Chapman, R-Ohio, asked Hoppe whether trusted family members would still be allowed to use the EBT card on behalf of the recipient.

“If they present the card and have the correct pin, then they’ve been authorized to use that card by the actual primary, they’re probably a person in the household,” Hoppe said. “The retailers, on the other hand, have a different aspect to look at, and retailers can’t discriminate against anyone who presents an EBT card.”

The committee passed an amended committee substitute to the Senate Finance Committee. The amendment was to extend the date of implementation from July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025, to allow for time to create policies.

How SNAP Has Changed Lives And An Archaeological Dig At WVSU, This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, SNAP is a federal nutrition program – the name stands for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It used to be called food stamps. The program started as a pilot project in the 1960s in McDowell County. Trey Kay learns more about the program that some say has changed lives.

On this West Virginia Morning, West Virginia is one of the top recipients for food aid of any state. SNAP is a federal nutrition program – the name stands for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It used to be called food stamps. The program started as a pilot project in the 1960s in McDowell County.

Since then, it’s reduced poverty and hunger across the nation, but it gets caught up in political debates and election cycles. On the next Us & Them podcast, host Trey Kay learns more about a program that some say has changed lives.

Also, in this show, West Virginia State University (WVSU) is holding its archaeological field school at the historic Hale House in Malden. Delaney Wells reports.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Concord University and Shepherd University.

Caroline MacGregor is our assistant news director and produced this episode.

Teresa Wills is our host.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

SNAP: Do The Hungry Get More Policy Than Nutrition?

Hunger and poverty are universal challenges, but in the U.S., for more than 50 years, support programs like SNAP, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, have provided help to those in need. On this Us & Them, host Trey Kay talks with three West Virginians — a retiree, a mom and a lawmaker — who all say that nutritional support has made a difference in their lives.

More than 12 percent of Americans, or 42 million people, need help getting enough food to eat.  

In West Virginia, that number is about 18 percent. That help comes from a federal program called SNAP — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly called food stamps. The Mountain State is one of the top recipients of SNAP benefits — nearly 45 percent are older adults or families with someone who’s disabled, while nearly 60 percent are families with children. 

The government’s food support program actually has its roots in McDowell County, West Virginia where it began as a pilot project in the 1960s. Since then the program has reduced poverty and hunger across the nation. Today, SNAP gets caught up in political debates and election cycles. 

On this Us & Them episode, host Trey Kay talks with three people, a retiree, a mom and a lawmaker who all say that nutritional support has made a difference in their lives. 

This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from the West Virginia Humanities Council, and the CRC Foundation.

Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, NPR One, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and beyond.

Reenie Kittle, who’s 74, from Harding, W.Va., is a widow and retired with a physical disability. She does what she can to get by on a meager fixed income.

“How do I live on a fixed income? Very scarcely,” Kittle told Us & Them host Trey Kay as they sat in the living room of her converted double-wide home. “So I have to buy pellets for my wood stoves in the winter months. I have to pay the water bill… all my bills. I don’t go out very much ‘cause I can’t afford the gas. With my income and my bills of $1,300 a month, I am lucky if I have $200, maybe $250 left over to try to find food. My neighbor sometimes will bring me supper, and that’s been a blessing to me. They try to help me food-wise as much as they can. For SNAP, I qualify for $23 a month. It is nothing. They just tell me that they’ve reviewed my case and that’s as much as they can do. They have no extra money to give and that’s it.”

Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Each month, Reenie Kittle heads to the grocery store in Elkins, W.Va. with $23 from the federal government’s SNAP program. SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — it used to be called “Food Stamps.” 

Reenie beelines past the produce section, beyond the tower of packaged strawberries, the cold case full of carrots and greens. She’s not here to buy what she wants to eat. She’s here to stretch the money she is allotted to the very last penny.

Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Roughly 18 percent of West Virginia residents use SNAP benefits. Nationally, that number is more like twelve percent, which means that 42 million people across America need help getting enough to eat. 

Seth DiStefano, with the West Virginia Center on Budget & Policy, lobbies to support programs like SNAP — which became a centerpiece of the social reform programs in President Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society” initiative. DiStefano says SNAP has its roots in West Virginia. This goes back to when President John F. Kennedy started the original “Food Stamp” program in McDowell County.

“It truly is one of the most effective anti-poverty programs in the history of the United States,” DiStefano said.

Credit: West Virginia Center on Budget & Policy
Mary Kathryn Molitor, 34, lives in St. Albans, W.Va. with her three daughters and an old dog named Brenda. Mary Kathryn works full-time at a local credit union, making about $13 an hour. When the Us & Them team first spoke with her, she wasn’t sure she wanted to talk on the record about her relationship with SNAP saying it was her “dirty little secret.”

“I don’t tell people that I use SNAP benefits because I know what that person looks like and that person doesn’t look like me,” Molitor explains while pulling one of her wriggling twin daughters up onto her hip. “That person doesn’t have a college education. That person doesn’t have a full-time job. That person isn’t who I am. I find it embarrassing. I don’t want to admit that I need help.”

Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
To supplement her family’s food supply, Mary Kathryn Molitor often goes to the Capital Market in Charleston and checks to see if they have wilted vegetable plants that are about to be discarded. She takes them home to plant in her garden.

“Those are pumpkins right there? Volunteers. All those tomatoes? Volunteers. Sunflowers? Volunteers,” Molitor said while showing Us & Them host Trey Kay the plants around her home. “After Halloween – I threw my pumpkins into a couple of different areas and they rotted, seeded and they are giants now! They grow on their own. They volunteer! If anybody needs a free pumpkin this year, just come to my house!”

Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Del. Jonathan Pinson represents the 17th District of West Virginia’s House of Delegates, on the western border of the state including parts of Mason and Jackson counties. Pinson, a Republican and a Baptist pastor, was first elected in 2020. 

“I cannot say that I have issues with [SNAP] in general,” Pinson told Us & Them host Trey Kay when they met in Point Pleasant, W.Va. “One of the reasons that I can’t say that I’m opposed to that is because I think back prior to my adoption… at 15 years old… I go back to Saturday mornings sitting in a line at the armory in Florida, picking up corn flakes and powdered milk and five pound jugs of peanut butter. And I can tell you that there were many, many meals that I wouldn’t have had, had my parents not been on food stamps — and at the time, ‘commodities,’ that’s what it was called. So I can’t say that I’m opposed to the government helping when help is warranted.”

Credit: West Virginia Legislature
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