Governor Vetoes Bill That Would Let Felons Get SNAP Benefits

Republican Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen has vetoed a bill that would have expanded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for state residents with drug convictions.

Why It Matters

SNAP benefits, also known as “food stamps,” are paid to low- and no-income households across the U.S. that would otherwise struggle to afford groceries. In 2024, the program reached some 155,000 people in the Cornhusker State—8 percent of its population.

Under federal law, there is a lifetime ban on accessing food stamps with a previous drug felony conviction. As SNAP is administered at state level, states can opt out of this, with 28 states implementing no lifetime ban on accessing the anti-poverty benefit.

What To Know

The current law allows Nebraskans with fewer than three convictions to access SNAP if they can prove they have completed a licensed and accredited treatment program.

Legislative Bill 319 would have allowed those who have more convictions to access the anti-poverty benefit, given that they completed such treatments programs since their most-recent conviction, unless a health-care provider determines that substance abuse treatment is not needed.

The bill passed the Nebraska house with a 32-17 vote on May 14.

SNAP sign — Stock image/file photo: SNAP and EBT accepted here sign is seen in a store window.

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But, in his objection letter, dated the same day, Governor Pillen said the bill would “would further expand SNAP eligibility to convicted drug dealers and remove the requirement of substance abuse treatment for individuals with one or two felony convictions for possession or use of a controlled substance.

“It also contains loopholes that could allow habitual offenders with three or more felony convictions to evade the requirement of substance abuse treatment,” Pillen wrote.

What People Are Saying

Pillen wrote in the letter: “Individuals that distribute or sell illicit drugs should not be entitled to taxpayer-funded benefits. Any illegal drug users should be required to complete treatment before they receive their third felony conviction. It is for these reasons that I have decided to veto LB 319.”

Democratic Senator Victor Rountree, who introduced the bill, said: “SNAP is an opportunity for them to reenter, get back on their feet, and I don’t believe that people want to stay on SNAP forever, as many times the story is written that way.”

Derrick Martinez, an advocate for the bill with prior drug convictions, said according to the Nebraska Examiner: “This moves the needle in a positive direction for not just me but for our state as it works to reduce recidivism. This means less of a struggle, less anxiety, less pressure overall for myself and for others who have been banned from SNAP because of past convictions.”