SNAP; temporary funding; federal government

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

HB2683: Emergency Food Assistance Fund for SNAP Gaps

This bill creates a state fund to provide food help if the federal government stops paying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

What This Bill Does

• Creates the Emergency Food Assistance Fund managed by the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES).
• Sets aside $5,000,000 from state money in fiscal year 2026-2027 to fill this fund.
• Requires DES to use these funds only when federal SNAP payments stop due to a government shutdown or other issues.
• Allows the fund to give temporary food vouchers, electronic benefits, or direct help to households that do not qualify for regular SNAP benefits.
• Permits grants to food banks and hunger relief groups to increase emergency food distribution.

Who It Names or Affects

• The Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES), which manages the new fund.
• Households currently receiving or eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.
• Food banks, pantries, and community hunger relief organizations that may receive grants.

Terms To Know

SNAP

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; a federal program giving food benefits to low-income families.

Emergency Food Assistance Fund

A new state fund created by this bill to pay for food help when federal money is unavailable.

Continuous Appropriation

Money that stays in the fund and does not expire at the end of a budget year unless used or removed.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill only allows state funds to be used when federal payments stop; it cannot replace regular SNAP funding.
• The official text provided does not list an effective date for this law.

Official Summary Text

HB2683 - 572R - House Bill Summary

ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

57th
Legislature, 2nd Regular Session

Majority Research Staff

HB
2683
: SNAP; temporary funding; federal government

Sponsor:
Representative Hernandez A, LD 20

Committee
on Health & Human Services

Overview

Establishes
the Emergency Food Assistance Fund (Emergency Fund) to be administered by
Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) and used for the Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program when the federal government is shutdown or
otherwise unable to provide monies to the program.

History

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a
federal program that provides food benefits to low-income families to
supplement their grocery budget and help the family afford nutritious food. To
be eligible for SNAP benefits, an applicant must meet specific age, household,
employment and income requirements.

Nutrition Assistance, formerly known as The Food Stamp
Program, is Arizona�s program under SNAP and is administered by DES. Nutrition
Assistance provides eligible households with monthly benefits that may be used
to purchase nutritious food. SNAP benefits allow members to purchase specific
items including: 1) breads and cereals; 2) meats, fish, poultry and dairy
products; and 3) infant formula and diabetic foods. SNAP benefits exclude the
purchase of certain items such as: 1) alcoholic beverages; 2) cigarettes or
tobacco; 3) vitamins and minerals; and 4) non-food items (
USDA
;
DES
).

Provisions

1.

Establishes
the Emergency Fund to be administered by DES and consist of legislative appropriations.
(Sec. 1)

2.

Requires
monies in the Emergency Fund to be continuously appropriated and exempt from
lapsing. (Sec. 1)

3.

Requires DES
to use monies from the Emergency Fund for the purposes of SNAP only when the
federal government is shutdown or otherwise unable to provide monies for SNAP.�
(Sec. 1)

4.

Allows
Emergency Fund monies to provide:

a.

temporary
food vouchers, electronic benefits or direct assistance to households that are
not eligible for SNAP; and

b.

grants to food
banks, food pantries and community-based hunger relief organizations to expand
emergency food distribution. (Sec. 1)

5.

Appropriates
$5,000,000 from the state GF in FY 2027 to the Emergency Fund. (Sec. 2)

6.

7.

8.

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2683

10.

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Current Bill Text

HB2683 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
SNAP; temporary funding; federal government

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2683

Introduced by

Representatives
Hernandez A: Austin, Biasiucci, Liguori;� Senator Gonzales

AN
ACT

amending title 46, chapter 2, article 2,
arizona revised statutes, by adding section 46-232; appropriating monies;
relating to the supplemental nutrition assistance program.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title 46, chapter 2, article 2,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 46-232, to read:

START_STATUTE
46-232.

Emergency food assistance fund; supplemental nutrition assistance
program; federal government shutdown; temporary monies

A. The emergency food assistance fund
is established consisting of legislative appropriations.� The department shall
administer the fund.� Monies in the fund are CONTINUOUSLY appropriated and are
exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of
appropriations.

B. The department shall use monies
from the fund for the purposes of the supplemental nutrition assistance program
only when the federal government is shutdown or otherwise unable to provide
monies for the supplemental nutrition assistance program and may also use
monies from the fund to provide:

1. Temporary food vouchers,
electronic benefits or direct assistance to households that are not eligible
for the supplemental nutrition assistance program.

2. Grants to good banks, food
pantries and community-based hunger relief organizations to expand
emergency food distribution.�

Sec. 2.
Appropriation; emergency food assistance fund

The sum of $5,000,000 is appropriated
from the state general fund in fiscal year 2026-2027 to the emergency food
assistance fund established by section 46-232, Arizona Revised Statutes,
as added by this act.
END_STATUTE