by Jessica Dietrich, Director of Government Relations and Public Policy
State Updates
The 2026 Oklahoma legislative session is off to a busy start. Below is a list of the top bills we are tracking this session. As you might notice, this list is significantly longer compared to previous sessions. This demonstrates the legislature’s increased interest in anti-hunger and anti-poverty programs.
- HB 2984 by Rep. Gise: Directs OKDHS to request a waiver to restrict Oklahoma SNAP users’ EBT to only be used in Oklahoma.
- HB 3032 by Rep. Lowe: Requires all school districts to provide and require the completion of a form for free or reduced-price meals upon enrollment and re-enrollment.
- HB 3490 by Rep. McCane: Provides a sales tax exemption and related identification card to SNAP participants.
- HB 3597 by Rep. Lepak: Prohibits undocumented immigrants from accessing SNAP and Medicaid benefits.
- HB 3638 by Rep. Gise: Requires Oklahoma to participate in the federal Summer EBT program.
- HB 4110 by Rep. Ford: Directs the creation of a verification platform to be operated statewide for oversight of SNAP by OKDHS and a related Corrections Transparency Overlay system under the Dept. of Corrections.
- HB 4422 by Speaker Hilbert: Requires immigration status checks for SNAP and TANF.
- HB 4423 by Speaker Hilbert: Requires immigration status checks for Medicaid and reporting when status cannot be verified.
- SB 1253 by Sen. Bergstrom: Adjusts standards for eligibility under the SNAP program (specifically work requirements) to match related federal guidelines.
- SB 1299 by Sen. Bergstrom: Directs OKDHS to request waiver for additional SNAP purchasing restrictions.
- SB 1310 by Sen. Bergstrom: Links OKDHS executive compensation to SNAP payment error rates, restricts offsetting pay increases, establishes employee incentive fund.
- SB 1373 by Sen. Reinhardt: Creates no cost meals for all students and includes minimum meal quality and lunchtime standards.
- SB 1374 by Sen. Reinhardt: Creates a state-funded incentive for eligible schools to participate in Community Eligibility Provision and provide meals at no cost to all students.
- SB 1547 by Sen. Gillespie: Requires Oklahoma Medicaid participants to meet certain community engagement requirements.
- SB 1554 by Sen. Grellner: Prohibits nonprofits from knowingly or recklessly providing services to undocumented immigrants and declares entities in violation to be ineligible for funds and officers of such orgs liable for criminal fines and penalties.
- SB 1833 by Sen. Thompson: Requires Oklahoma to continue participating in the SNAP purchasing restrictions waiver and allows for additional items to be added to the waiver.
- SB 1895 by Sen. Reinhardt: Requires eligible school districts to notify OSDE if they decide not to participate in CEP.
- SB 2022 by Sen. Standridge: Limits OKDHS from participating in any federal option that expands SNAP eligibility.
- SB 2061 by Sen. Nice: Creates the Oklahoma Food Policy Council and establishes membership, duties, and reporting requirements.
Have questions or concerns about any of the above legislation? Send an email to Bailey Ashbaker.
Federal Updates
Congress is working toward the final bill for the FFY 26 budget. A partial government shutdown due to a lapse in funding for the Department of Homeland Security is ongoing. Federal nutrition programs like SNAP will not be impacted by this shutdown.
Farm Bill drafting continues in the House Agriculture Committee. Following the passage of HR 1 last year, this Farm Bill is expected to be very limited in scope and mostly focus on farm aid.
Advocacy continues to delay SNAP changes included in HR 1. Without Congressional action, the SNAP cost shift based on a state’s error rate takes effect in FFY 28 (October 2027) and is based on measurements of errors for October 2025 – September 2026.
As a reminder, it’s an election year! Visit the Oklahoma Voter Portal to register to vote or check your registration, view election dates, and find your polling place. This year in Oklahoma, both the Republican and Democrat primaries are closed, which means voters will only be able to vote in the primary elections of the party they’re registered with. Independent voters will not be able to vote in the Republican or Democrat primaries or runoff primaries.
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