(The Center Square) – Nevada Senate Democrats are looking at locally funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, as a court ordered the Trump administration to fully fund the program.
The administration Friday said it would follow the order and fully fund SNAP benefits, formerly known as food stamps, despite the government shutdown and funding lapse.
Before the feds’ announcement, Nevada Democrats prepared for a possible funding gap.
State Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, D-Clark County, called for a $136 million SNAP package for a special legislative session to circumvent the federal government’s longest ever shutdown.
“My colleagues are introducing a proposal to establish a state-funded assistance program during the upcoming special session,” Cannizzaro said at a press conference Friday.
Over 500,000 Nevadans use SNAP benefits, Cannizzaro said. More than 62% of them are in a family with children.
Cannizzaro said beneficiaries “are going to be able to use the same cards that they do currently. We are confident that we will structure this program in a way that is both legal and efficient.”
The remarks came 38 days into the federal government shutdown, which has been defined by a bitter stalemate between Democratic and Republican U.S. senators, and countless program shutdowns as reserve funds have dried up.
It also came a day after a federal court ordered the Trump administration to fund the full SNAP budget, after the federal government had said they would only fund half of SNAP with U.S. Dept. of Agriculture reserve funds previously determined to be used in the event of a shutdown. The Trump administration on Friday appealed the latest court order by the U.S. District Court for Rhode Island. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit in Boston denied a request for an administrative stay.
The Trump administration said it would follow the court order to fully fund SNAP while it appeals the decision. The Department of Justice is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to issue a stay, according to media reports.
Meanwhile, Nevada Senate Democrats’ plan to propose local SNAP funding is expected to face opposition from Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, who has yet to publicly respond directly to Cannizzaro’s plan. Lombardo previously said he opposed local funding of the SNAP program.
“The governor remains committed to finding a solution to source SNAP beneficiaries, and other Nevadans impacted by the federal shutdown, to the extent allowable under state and federal law,” Josh Meny, press secretary for the Governor’s Office, told The Center Square.
The Nevada Legislature isn’t scheduled to meet again for a regular session until 2027. In order to immediately pass the SNAP funding proposal, the Legislature would have to be called into a special session. And only Lombardo has the power to do that. He would define the purpose of the session.
According to the Nevada Constitution, “Legislature shall not introduce, consider or pass any bills except those related to the business for which the Legislature has been specially convened and those necessary to provide for the expenses of the session.”
Nevada Senate Democrats first proposed the local SNAP funding solution on Tuesday after President Donald Trump indicated the federal government would only fund half of the budget. The Democrats’ proposed legislation would see $45.5 million go to fund the remaining half of recipients for November and an additional $91 million for December if the government shutdown continues.
