5 Big Anti-Hunger Policy Wins from the 2025 Texas Legislative Session
Communications Manager
Starting September 1, new laws from the 89th Texas Legislative Session will go into effect, bringing a major boost to hunger relief efforts across the state.
From Amarillo to Brownsville, the Feeding Texas network and our partners in the Texas Food Policy Roundtable united to advocate for policies that help Texans live healthy, hunger-free lives. These victories reflect the power of collective action and the belief that no Texan should struggle to put food on the table.
Here are five hunger-fighting policy wins that advocates, supporters, and lawmakers made possible:
Free school breakfast and lunch
Nutrition is essential for learning. Texas has reaffirmed its commitment to feeding students by continuing to fund free breakfasts and eliminating reduced-price lunches.
Now, thousands of Texas kids will be able to eat free breakfast and free lunch during the school year. During the 2024-2025 school year, 46,000 kids received free breakfast. The 101,000 Texas kids who paid for reduced lunch during the 2024-2025 school year will now have access to free lunches. Thank you to our partners at Share Our Strength Texas for leading these efforts!
Expanding Food is Medicine Programs
Health and nutrition are fundamentally linked. HB 26 recognizes that connection by authorizing Medicaid to pay for nutrition counseling and instruction services and establishing a pilot program that will provide Medically Tailored Meals (MTMs) to high-risk pregnant women on Medicaid.
Food is Medicine programs have the potential to improve health outcomes across Texas. MTMs are created by registered dietitians to provide the nutrients necessary for better health outcomes. It’s an evidence-based, cost-effective approach to addressing diet-related illness.
Funding for SNAP Double Up Bucks
SNAP Double Up Food Bucks helps Texans afford a healthy diet, supports local farmers, and boosts our local economies. By using SNAP at participating locations, Double Up Bucks matches produce purchases with SNAP benefits $1 for $1.
The Legislature has continued its commitment to this program with an investment of $6 million. With over 80 participating locations in Texas, Double Up Bucks helps Texans get fresher produce and supports local farmers. Shoutout to our partners at the Sustainable Food Center for their leadership on this effort!
$300 Million to Modernize TIERS
The Texas Integrated Eligibility Redesign System (TIERS) is used to process applications and renewals for programs like Medicaid and SNAP. However, after 20 years of use, TIERS needed an upgrade to fix persistent technological issues that were increasing error rates and labor costs and delaying service delivery.
The Texas Legislature will invest $300 million to modernize TIERS, which will lead to greater efficiency, significant cost savings for the state, and an improved user experience for clients.
Transportation-Related Tax Exemption for Food Bank Vehicles
Reliable transportation is critical for food banks to safely and efficiently deliver food to their communities, but the high cost of vehicle purchase and maintenance often diverts critical resources away from feeding Texans in need.
HB 4226 exempts nonprofit food banks from paying state sales tax on the purchase, rental, or use of motor vehicles used primarily for food bank operations. Now, food banks can reinvest those dollars into feeding our neighbors.
The Fight to End Hunger Continues
Our legislative wins this year are a reminder that policy solutions are key to creating lasting, impactful change. These policies directly help Texans access hunger-relief programs and resources. That’s why we fight for anti-hunger solutions year-round.
As we enter Hunger Action Month this September, we hope you’ll join the fight against hunger – whether by donating, advocating, or volunteering. Together, we can build a Texas where everyone has the food they need to thrive.
