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Leader of Food banks Says She is Happy With Last Minute Changes to State Budget

Lisa Hamler-Fugitt, Ohio Association of Foodbanks
Statehouse News Bureau
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Statehouse News Bureau
Lisa Hamler-Fugitt with the Ohio Association of Foodbanks says the proposed changes to food assistance programs that were included in the two-year Ohio budget were among "the most harmful" seen in decades. She says she is relieved those provisions were taken out of the final version of the budget.

Leaders of Ohio’s food banks are thankful because controversial changes that made it harder for Ohioans to get food assistance were removed from the state budget. 

Lisa Hamler-Fugitt with the Ohio Association of Foodbanks says she’s relieved the Senate’s budget changes didn’t go through.  

“These are some of the most harmful provisions that we have seen introduced in decades," Hamler Fugitt said.

Those provisions included requiring food bank users with fluctuating wages to file far more paperwork, limiting the value of assets of recipients, and making it harder for low-wage workers to keep food assistance. Hamler-Fugitt says she is grateful the conference committee leaders got those removed.

Thebudget passed the Ohio Legislature earlier this week. Gov. Mike DeWine is combing through it now and is expected to sign it soon.
Copyright 2021 The Statehouse News Bureau. To see more, visit The Statehouse News Bureau.

Jo Ingles
Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment.