2023 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

House Bill 2446

By Delegate Walker

[Introduced January 11, 2023; Referred to the Committee on Health and Human Resources]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §9-3-7, relating to establishing a tip line to the Department of Health and Human Resources for citizens to report instances of food insecurity and requiring appropriate personnel to follow up on tips to provide assistance to those individuals.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

Article 3. Application for and granting of assistance.

§9-3-7. Establishment of tip line to report food insecurity.

There is hereby established a tip line within the department to receive reports of food insecurity. The tip line may be by phone, by e-mail, or both. The department shall designate staff to answer this tip line and relay the information to the appropriate personnel within the department. The department will attempt to make contact with the individuals alleged to be food insecure and determine if the tip is accurate. If so, the department shall inform those persons of the state or federal food assistance programs available, as well as any other resources available from the person’s local community.  

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create a tip line to the DHHR to respond to tips of food insecurity.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.