by Jessica Dietrich, Director of Government Relations and Public Policy, and Bailey Ashbaker, Senior Policy Analyst and Engagement Specialist
State Updates
Anti-Hunger Day at the Capitol
Join Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, Hunger Free Oklahoma, and Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma for our 2025 Anti-Hunger Day at the Capitol March 27. Gather with food security advocates across the state to learn about the state of hunger in Oklahoma, legislative proposals addressing food security, and connect with lawmakers to share your perspective on food security. Register today!
State Legislative Session Landscape
- 3,099 bills and joint resolutions were filed this session.
- Only about 20% of legislative proposals become law.
There is new leadership in both chambers of the legislature this year:
- Speaker of the House: Kyle Hilbert
- President Pro Tempore: Lonnie Paxton
- The Speaker and the Pro Tempore have the power to appoint a floor leader, name committees, appoint committee chairs, and assign bills to committee.
- Committee chairs have the discretion to place a bill on the committee agenda or let it fail in committee.
Thirty-one new lawmakers will participate in the legislative session this year (that’s 21 percent of the state legislative body!):
- House members are elected to two-year terms.
- Senators have four-year terms.
- Legislators are limited to no more than 12 years of total combined service.
State Bill Tracking
SNAP Legislation
- HB 1111 (Pogemiller) – Requires Oklahoma Human Services to take full advantage of the Elderly and Disabled Simplified App Process (EDSAP). Passed House Appropriations Sub: Health and Human Services 2/10/2025. Referred to House Appropriations.
- HB 2382 (Hill) – Requires increased data-matching for SNAP eligibility and prohibits providing benefits through categorical eligibility. Restricts SNAP users from purchasing soft drinks or candy. Laid over in House Appropriations Sub: Health and Human Services 2/20/2025.
- SB 184 (Kirt) – Directs Oklahoma Human Services to extend SNAP benefits to those within 175% of the Federal Poverty Level. Referred to Senate Health and Human Services 1/28/2025.
- SB 190 (Pederson) – Requires Oklahoma Human Services to extend recertification timelines for older adults to 36 months via the Elderly and Disabled Simplified App Process (EDSAP). Referred to Senate Health and Human Services 1/28/2025.
Child Nutrition Legislation
- HB 1577 (Lawson) – Requires Medicaid to cover the cost of medically necessary human milk for premature babies. Referred to House Committee on House Oversight: Health & Human Services 2/05/2025.
- HB 1605 (Gise) – Eliminates the reduced-price school meal copay. Sent to subcommittee House Appropriations Sub: Education 2/04/2025.
- HB 1797 (Kerbs) – Moves the administration of Child Nutrition Programs from Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) to Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF). Referred to House Committee on House Appropriations 2/05/2025.
- HB 2032 (Deck/Archer) – Requires Oklahoma Human Services to administer Summer EBT in 2026 and beyond. Sent to subcommittee House Appropriations Sub: Human Services 2/04/2025.
- HB 2092 (Menz) – No-cost school meals for all. Sent to subcommittee House Appropriations Sub: Education 2/04/2025.
- SB 28 (Hicks) – Expands free school meals to those within 250% of the Federal Poverty Level (from 130%). Referred to Senate Appropriations 1/28/2025.
- SB 194 (Murdock) – Requires Oklahoma Human Services to administer Summer EBT in 2026 and beyond. Passed out of Senate Health and Human Services 2/10/2025, referred to Senate Appropriations.
Other Legislation of Note
- HB 1575 (Lawson) – Requires Oklahoma Human Services to create a streamlined, unified benefits application. Passed out of House Children Youth and Family Services 2/19/2025. Referred to House Committee on House Oversight: Health & Human Services 2/19/2025.
- SB 113 (Dossett) – Exempts child support payments below a certain threshold from determining TANF eligibility. Voted from committee – Do Pass Senate Health & Human Services 2/10/2025.
- SB 806 (Pugh) – Requires Oklahoma Health Care Authority to apply for a Medicaid 1115 waiver to help support Food Is Medicine programs. Referred to Senate Committee Senate Health & Human Services 1/28/2025.
Federal Policy Updates
Farm Bill
Congress did not pass a Farm Bill in 2024, further delaying the important legislation that should have been passed in 2023. We expect there will be movement on a Farm Bill this year, but the timing is still uncertain.
Federal Budget
In December, Congress passed another short-term extension of the FY25 federal budget, extending current spending levels through March 14, 2025. Unfortunately, at the last minute, a bipartisan agreement to extend states’ authority to replace stolen SNAP benefits was stripped from the bill. Hunger Free Oklahoma (HFO) believes there is a good chance this policy will pass in the future, but it is unclear whether it will be included in the federal budget package or the Farm Bill and whether it will be retroactive. It is extremely disappointing to HFO and families across our state that Congress allowed this policy to lapse. HFO strongly supports a permanent extension of the replacement benefit provision to ensure families can continue to receive the assistance they need. HFO also supports security measures that safeguard EBT cards and users against benefit theft.
There are active discussions happening in Congress that would cut SNAP benefits, though the details of what these cuts would look like are still unclear. This is a great time to contact your US Representative and Oklahoma Senators Lankford and Mullin to share with them the importance of SNAP in Oklahoma.
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