Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Early Learning & Human Services Committee |
HB 2014
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Brief Description: Collecting data on hunger in Washington state.
Sponsors: Representatives Macri, DeBolt, Pellicciotti, Kilduff, Robinson, Hudgins, Stonier, Sawyer, Jinkins, Lovick, Ortiz-Self, Tarleton, Young, McBride, Ormsby, Stanford, Doglio, Slatter, Santos and Fey.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 2/15/17
Staff: Dawn Eychaner (786-7135).
Background:
United States Department of Agriculture Food Distribution and Nutrition Programs.
The Unites States Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees a variety of state-administered food distribution and nutrition programs. Examples of such programs include the Commodity Supplemental Food Program; the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program; the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program; and the Summer Food Service Program. The USDA food and nutrition programs are administered in Washington by several state agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Social and Health Services as well as the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
The USDA publishes survey tools to measure food security. The USDA two-question food insecurity screen consists of the following questions:
1. "Within the past 12 months, we worried whether our food would run out before we got money to buy more;" and
2. "Within the past 12 months, the food we bought just didn't last and we didn't have enough money to get more."
Affirmative responses to these questions of either "often true" or "sometimes true" may indicate a risk of household food insecurity.
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey.
The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey (BRFSS) is a system of health-related telephone surveys funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The BRFSS collects state health data, including data relating to risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and the use of preventative services. States may add their own questions to the BRFSS for state research purposes. Individual participation in the BRFSS is completely voluntary.
Summary of Bill:
Beginning in 2018 the DOH must add the USDA two-question food insecurity screen to the BRFSS every even-numbered year. The DOH must gather an adequate number of responses to the screen to disaggregate respondents by race and ethnicity and must expand the sample size as needed to produce county and state-level data.
Beginning in 2018 the DOH must produce an annual report on ongoing USDA-funded nutrition assistance programs administered by state agencies. At a minimum, the report must include information from agencies regarding:
the number of people in Washington eligible for the program;
the number of people in Washington who participated in the program;
the average annual participation rate in the program;
participation rates by geographic distribution; and
the annual federal funding of the program in Washington.
By January 1, 2018, the DOH must develop additional criteria in consultation with advocacy groups, experts, community-based organizations, tribal governments, and families impacted by poverty. Additional criteria must include but not be limited to:
performance benchmarks for programs, with a focus on existing benchmarks;
geography;
socioeconomic characteristics of households; and
degree of disaggregation of racial and ethnic groups.
The DOH must report annually to the Governor and the Legislature on state agency compliance with sharing the required program information beginning December 31, 2018.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.