Gov. Laura Kelly announces expanded food stamp benefits will be able to continue in Kansas

Expanded food stamp benefits will continue to flow to Kansas, Gov. Laura Kelly announced Tuesday in a bid to continue to aid more than 60,000 households that otherwise would have lost the support after the state's COVID-19 emergency declaration ended earlier in June. 

Kelly instructed Department of Children and Families Secretary Laura Howard to use her authority to allow the $14.5 million in additional Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program support to continue.

Under the passage of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act last March, states can increase monthly benefits to the highest possible level, based on the number of individuals in a given household. But the changes would only be allowable if there was both a federal and state disaster emergency in place.

Republican legislators ended the state's disaster declaration, effective June 16, arguing the threat of COVID-19 had diminished.

More:The state's COVID-19 emergency declaration has ended. Our podcast tells you what you need to know.

Kelly's office on Tuesday pointed to "an alternative solution" and said it would work with President Joe Biden's administration to keep the benefits flowing.

The expanded payments will continue until the end of the calendar year or when the federal COVID-19 emergency ends, whichever occurs first. Wisconsin announced a similar deal with the federal government in April, where Washington deemed an executive order to suffice in keeping benefits going.

“While Kansas continues its steady return to normal, the pandemic caused challenges for families — and many still need support,” Kelly said in a statement. “Extending emergency SNAP benefits is part of our commitment to protecting Kansas children and families during the pandemic and beyond, and ensuring our kids have reliable access to quality, healthy foods.” 

More:GOP legislators to let COVID-19 emergency order expire at midnight, despite governor's objections

It marks a reversal in rhetoric, with the Kelly administration using the threat of losing the benefits as a key argument for keeping the disaster declaration in place.

"63,000 households in Kansas are going to be impacted by this decision very directly and pretty immediately," Will Lawrence, Kelly's chief-of-staff, told reporters earlier this month.

It marks the second time when Kelly has issued a directive in an attempt to continue policies that would have otherwise expired without the declaration. 

Earlier this month, she also directed the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services to continue to require that adult-care facilities licensed by the state regularly test staff and residents for COVID-19. Kelly had previously issued that mandate under the emergency declaration.

House Speaker Ron Ryckman, R-Olathe, said it was confusing that Kelly was issuing these orders despite her arguments in support of the emergency declaration.

"Either the governor wasn't informed or tried to mislead Kansans to get the emergency disaster declaration she wanted," Ryckman said in a text message. "Either way it is alarming. Decisions of this magnitude should be based on facts, not scare tactics."