Food benefits

The Missouri House also passed legislation Thursday creating cross-reporting requirements for child and animal abuse cases. Here's what bills are moving through the legislature.

Currently under federal law, convicted drug offenders are banned from receiving SNAP benefits. A proposed Missouri House bill would opt out of the federal ban.

A Kansas Senate committee is considering a bill to pressure Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration to comply with the federal government’s request for the data, including social security numbers. Kansas is one of more than 20 states rebuffing the request.

Missouri submitted a waiver to the U.S. Department of Agriculture requesting to certify candy, desserts, soft drinks, and certain fruit juices as ineligible to purchase with SNAP benefits.

A federal judge ruled last year Missouri’s food aid system was “overwhelmed,” had wrongly denied assistance to applicants, and had caused many to go hungry. A new bill signed by President Trump will cut SNAP funding and add work requirements, which will likely worsen the problems.

Ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, KCUR's Up To Date broadcasted from Harvesters Community Food Network in Kansas City to hear how the organization is managing a time of extremely high demand.

Federal food assistance has started to flow again after the government reopened. But the charitable food system is planning for continued need through the end of the year.

Researchers surveyed low-wage workers and found many report administrative burdens in signing up and keeping vital Medicaid and SNAP coverage.

Baylee Watts, the Missouri Department of Social Services' media director, said in an email that the department is working with its electronic benefits vendor to distribute full November benefits.

Refugees and asylum grantees are among those who can no longer qualify for federal nutrition support until five years after obtaining green cards, because of new restrictions in President Trump's budget bill.

After weeks of uncertainty, Kansas released SNAP benefits to residents on Friday, while Missouri plans to release benefits — either full or partial payments — later this week. But the recent Trump budget bill added a number of restrictions to the program.

The administration's appeal to the high court over the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program comes despite new efforts to end the federal shutdown, which would render the issue moot.