NOTE: As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used in any other situation.

Only the most recent FIR version, excluding attachments, is available on the Intranet. Previously issued FIRs and attachments may be obtained from the LFC office in Suite 101 of the State Capitol Building North.

Duplicates/Conflicts with/Companion to/Relates to

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) files

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

HM 6 requests the US congress to pass the Hunger Relief Act and the Food Stamp Outreach and Research for Kids Act into law. The memorial also urges the President to sign these Acts into law upon the passage by Congress. HM 6 specifies that copies of this memorial be transmitted to members of the NM congressional delegation and to the President.

Significant Issues

HM 6 delineates the following information in the memorial:

• •People in poverty have difficulty providing food for their families.
• •Providers of emergency food report sharp increases in requests for food and are unable to adequately meet that need.
• •Participation in the federal food stamp program is a means for low-income families to be able to purchase food.
• •The US general accounting office has reported that participation in the food stamp program has declined 27% in the past few years while the number of people living in poverty declined only 7%.
• •NM has experience a decline in food stamp participation while the number of people living in poverty has not declined.
• •That a bipartisan effort to address the need to expand food stamp participation is being made in the US congress through the introduction of legislation.

WD/sb/njw