HB3638 would require the state to participate in the federal Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program beginning in 2027. The program would provide grocery benefits to eligible children while school is not in session, and would be administered by the state Department of Human Services in coordination with the state Department of Education.

The Oklahoma State House of Representatives passed HB3638 on March 11, 2026 by a vote of 56 to 35. We have assigned pluses to the nays because feeding children is the duty of their parents, not government. By using taxpayer dollars to provide "free" meals during summer break, the state expands the unconstitutional federal welfare system and fosters dependency rather than self-reliance. HB3638 also aligns with the United Nations' Agenda 2030 "Zero Hunger" initiative, which promotes government control over food distribution and social policy-objectives wholly foreign to America's constitutional framework. Neither Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution nor any other provision authorizes the federal government to provide meals or social services. Such programs divert funds from legitimate functions, increase public debt, and erode parental responsibility. Instead of empowering families, HB3638 further entrenches government dependency and erodes state sovereignty.