WASHINGTON, DC (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, introduced the Food Eligibility for Education and Development (FEED) Act on Monday, a bill aimed at protecting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for students in career and technical education (CTE) programs.
The legislation would amend SNAP eligibility rules to allow students ages 18 to 21 to work part-time in their CTE programs without the income being counted against their family’s total household income. Under current federal law, these earnings can reduce or eliminate a family’s benefits.
“Students enrolled in career and technical education programs are working hard to prepare for high-skill, high-demand jobs,” Husted said in a statement. “My bill corrects outdated SNAP laws so CTE students can continue their education without jeopardizing their families’ benefits.”
According to Husted’s office, more than 130,000 high school students in Ohio are enrolled in CTE programs. The office estimates that as many as 50,000 Ohioans aged 18 to 21 are not taking advantage of work-based learning opportunities due to the current income calculation rules.
The bill builds on Husted’s previous work in Ohio as lieutenant governor, where he expanded career technical education and pioneered job training programs to help prepare the state’s workforce. He also previously advocated for a waiver from the Food and Nutrition Service to address a similar issue for Ohio students.