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(Des Moines, IA) -- The Iowa Healthiest State Initiative program dubbed "Double Up Food Bucks" could be getting a boost from the state legislature. Senate Study Bill 1012 would give $1 million from the state's general fund to the program, and it passed through the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Thursday with bipartisan support.
State Sen. Mike Klimesh (R-Spillville) is the chair of the committee.
"[The program] currently provides a dollar match, up to $10 a day, when purchasing fruits and vegetables using an EBT card," Klimesh says.
Supporters of the funding say the program is beneficial to Iowans, but the current charitable funding structure isn't enough to reach all parts of the state. They say the extra money would help with that.
State Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott (D-Waukee) is one of them.
"If we want to really help folks to be healthier, this is the way to do it," Trone Garriott says. "...If we want it to be available to folks in some of those smaller towns and rural communities, that's what this appropriation would really help us do."
Although it passed through committee, its next step isn't the Senate floor. The funding proposal will head to a Senate appropriations subcommittee.
