The Oklahoma House has approved legislation to ensure the state participates in a federal summer nutrition program for children, sending the measure to the Senate for further consideration.
House Bill 3638, authored by Oklahoma Representative Emily Gise, would require the Oklahoma Department of Human Services to administer the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer for Children program beginning in 2027, in coordination with the Oklahoma State Department of Education to determine eligibility.
“This is a fiscally conservative, targeted approach to support Oklahoma families while responsibly leveraging federal resources,” Gise said, noting the state could draw down roughly $12 in federal funds for every $1 invested.
The program is designed to provide temporary food assistance to low-income children during the summer months when school meals are unavailable. Gise said the structure focuses on accountability and self-sufficiency.
“This program reflects that principle. It is temporary, targeted and focused solely on low-income children during a gap in the school year when meals are not otherwise available because we know that hunger doesn’t take a summer vacation,” she said.
Under the bill, benefits would be limited to essential food purchases and could not be used for items such as soda or candy.
Gise said a projected $4.9 million state investment could generate more than $63 million in federal funding, supporting more than 500,000 children and creating an estimated $75 million in economic activity statewide.
The measure also creates a revolving fund to help cover administrative costs through a mix of public and private support, allowing partnerships with community organizations and private donors.
House Bill 3638 now heads to the Senate, where Oklahoma Senator Kristen Thompson is the Senate author.
