LANSING — Members of the Michigan Senate on Thursday voted to advance a supplemental funding bill providing $71 million in state funds to support food assistance with federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, or SNAP, set to come to a halt on Saturday.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service instructed state officials to pause SNAP benefits in November, citing a lapse in funding due to the ongoing federal government shutdown.

Senate Bill 182, passed the chamber 27-4, with Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R-Porter Township), Sens. Jim Runestad (R-White Lake) Dan Lauwers (R-Brockway Township) and Joseph Bellino (R-Monroe) making up the “nay” votes. The bill would allocate $50 million to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for emergency food assistance, alongside an addition $10 million for food bank grants and another $10 million for the Agricultural Surplus System Program, which the Food Bank Council of Michigan uses to purchase excess produce, protein and dairy from Michigan farmers.

The bill also allocates $1 million to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for the Double Up Food Bucks program, which matches EBT/Bridge Card or food stamp dollars spent on fruits and vegetables at participating stores, allowing recipients to access twice the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Michigan House Democrats put forth their own proposal to backfill SNAP Benefits earlier this week, proposing $600 million intended to cover two months of lost benefits.

State steps up food bank stopgap funding

While neither the Senate plan passed Thursday, nor the House Democrats’ plan outlined Wednesday, have much chance of being taken up in the GOP-led House, there was some funding put forward to plug the expected hole in the food assistance safety net.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office announced that the state will provide $4.5 million to the Food Bank Council of Michigan to support food banks and pantries throughout the state.

“Today, in light of the USDA’s decision to freeze SNAP, the State of Michigan is taking action to support the Food Bank Council of Michigan so they can continue feeding families in all 83 counties and deliver food to those who are unable to drive,” Whitmer said in a press release. “We take care of each other in Michigan, and we will continue bringing together public and private philanthropic resources to feed people as we hit day 30 of the federal government shutdown and approach the November 1 pause of SNAP.”

About 1.4 million Michigan residents use SNAP, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and in Fiscal Year 2024, benefits averaged to $173 per recipient each month — meaning that total benefits would total over $240 million per month.

“Because we did the right thing and kept state government on the job, we are now able to step up with this critical support for our local food banks, ensuring they have the resources they need to protect our communities and keep Michigan families strong,” Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) said in the press release.

“But this will never be a long-term solution and state government can only make up so much of the federal government’s spending. Congress must follow our lead and keep more Michigan families from being hurt by this shutdown,” Hall added.

Whitmer also led a letter, sent early Thursday and signed by 21 other Democratic governors, calling on President Trump to release SNAP contingency funds.