Bill revising SD food assistance program headed to gov's desk

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PIERRE (AP) — The South Dakota House supports a bill that repeals a current tax rebate program for low-income households and reallocates the money for a different system to help people buy food.

The measure would scrap the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program that gave about $2.3 million to 34,580 households in 2005 but this year will give $59,000 to 264 families. The decline is largely due to a 2009 change that made food stamp recipients, among others, ineligible.

The Department of Social Services would get the roughly $838,000 leftover from the tax system to fund grants requested by the state's food distribution entities.

House members voted 61-6 on the bill whose main sponsor is Rep. Susy Blake.

If Gov. Dennis Daugaard signs the bill, it becomes law.

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