Bill > HB3638

This bill establishes Oklahoma's participation in the federal Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer for Children, or Summer EBT, program, which provides extra food assistance to eligible children when school is out, starting in 2027. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services will manage the program, submitting necessary paperwork to the federal government and working with the State Department of Education to determine who is eligible and to run the program smoothly, with both departments allowed to share data as needed while respecting privacy laws. Benefits from Summer EBT will have the same restrictions on what food can be purchased as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which is Oklahoma's existing food stamp program, and the Department of Human Services will try to align these restrictions with state preferences. The program's implementation depends on legislative funding, and if the federal government reduces its share of the costs, Oklahoma won't be obligated to continue participating unless the Legislature agrees. The Department of Human Services will also put in place measures to ensure the program is run correctly, like verifying who is eligible and preventing fraud, and the bill takes effect on November 1, 2026.

Budget and Finance

http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=hb3638&Session=2600