Arizona Legislators Debate Overhauling SNAP Eligibility to Mitigate Financial Losses
In a bid to safeguard federal funding, Arizona lawmakers are pushing for significant changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). With the state facing potential financial repercussions due to high error rates, these modifications aim to tighten eligibility criteria and ensure compliance with federal standards.
The federal budget bill, H.R. 1, enacted last year, introduces modifications to SNAP that penalize states with elevated error rates. Arizona’s recent error rate of 8.8% for fiscal year 2024 could cost the state around $139 million in federal funds if not addressed.
Additionally, H.R. 1 reassigns some of the program’s administrative expenses to the states, projecting an additional burden of over $30 million for Arizona. In response, numerous bills have been introduced in the state Legislature, predominantly backed by Republican lawmakers, to reduce the error rate and limit financial liabilities.
Proposed measures include enforcing work requirements for adults under 60 who receive SNAP benefits, refining eligibility standards, and increasing reporting obligations. Rep. Jeff Weninger (R-Chandler) emphasized the importance of collaboration, stating, “It’s incumbent that we’re partners in knowing what is being used to try to achieve these goals so we don’t have to pay out these kinds of monies.”
However, these proposed changes have sparked concern among Democratic legislators, who question the state’s capacity to implement them without additional staff and resources. They suggest prioritizing the reduction of backlogs and ensuring that eligible beneficiaries receive their full entitlements.
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