For Immediate Release
Sept. 29, 2020
Contact:
Alex Rossman
517-775-9053
Senate continues to be “smart on crime” with action to end lifetime food assistance ban for residents with certain drug convictions
Senate Bill 1006 will benefit justice-involved residents, especially people of color and individuals with disabilities
LANSING—The Michigan Senate continued its commitment to smart criminal justice reform today with the passage of Senate Bill 1006. This legislation, sponsored by Senator Jim Ananich, will permanently end Michigan’s lifetime ban on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food assistance for individuals with more than one drug felony.
The Michigan League for Public Policy has been working on this issue for several years as a way to better support justice-involved individuals when they come home, and it was a key policy recommendation in the League’s May 2019 report, Thriving on the outside: How Michigan can help the formerly incarcerated become gainfully employed. In fact, full eligibility for SNAP benefits among drug offenders decreases the probability of returning to prison within one year by 13.1%.
“After years of advocacy, Michigan’s longstanding lifetime ban on food assistance for individuals with more than one drug felony is one step closer to being eliminated,” said Gilda Z. Jacobs, President and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy. “This is a huge win that will make it easier for justice-involved individuals to access food, improving food security, racial equity and disability inclusion while reducing recidivism. We appreciate the bipartisan support for this bill and other important criminal justice reforms.”
Recent analysis from the League took a closer look at the distinct impact the SNAP drug felony ban has on Michiganders with disabilities. People with disabilities face numerous structural barriers to employment and earning capacity. As a result, workers with a disability are unemployed at nearly three times the national average and, when working, paid only 63 cents for every dollar paid to workers without disabilities. At the same time, people with a disability may also face above-average healthcare costs that make it difficult to afford all of their basic needs—including food. Working-age adults with disabilities are four times more likely to experience food insecurity than those without disabilities.
“The ban unfairly extends punishment long after individuals have served their sentences,” Jacobs said. “And systemic factors in employment, healthcare, and law enforcement mean that people with disabilities, particularly people of color, are overrepresented both among the food-insecure population and in justice system involvement.”
Nationwide, people in prisons are nearly three times as likely to have a disability as the nonincarcerated population, and those in jails are more than four times as likely. Cognitive disabilities and mental health issues—disabilities that may often be “invisible” to law enforcement officers and other members of the community—are the most common disabilities among incarcerated people. Additionally, disability is more prevalent in communities of color, which have also borne the brunt of “tough on crime” policies—especially the war on drugs.
Research also shows that women make up an outsized percentage of incarcerated people with a drug offense. Parents are more likely to plead guilty to drug felonies to avoid separation from their families, and women are more likely than men to solely parent children. Nationwide, 60% of women in prisons and 80% of women in jails have dependent children.
BACKGROUND:
Fact Sheet: Repeal Michigan’s SNAP Drug Felony Ban: Michiganders with Disabilities are Disproportionately Punished
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The Michigan League for Public Policy, www.mlpp.org, is a nonprofit policy institute focused on economic opportunity for all. It is the only state-level organization that addresses poverty in a comprehensive way.
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
