Arizona Legislature passes Republican budget plan. Here’s what it would mean for SNAP.
The Arizona Legislature passed a Republican budget package that includes a 5% cut to state agencies, including the department that administers SNAP. The budget would require more frequent eligibility checks for SNAP recipients and direct the Department of Economic Security to lower SNAP's error rate to 3%.
The Arizona Legislature passed a Republican budget package that includes a 5% cut to state agencies, including the Department of Economic Security (DES), which administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The budget would require quarterly eligibility checks for SNAP recipients, which the Governor's Office estimated would cost $48 million annually. DES Director Michael Wisehart said his agency needs more staff to implement the federal changes to SNAP, but the Republican budget package does not include additional staffing. Arizona's SNAP error rate was 8.8% in Fiscal Year 2024, below the national average but still above the 6% threshold that will trigger financial penalties next year. The budget would direct DES to lower SNAP's error rate to 3%. Wisehart said the state has underfunded DES compared to other states for years, leading to less staff and outdated technology.
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