Snap Back Inaccurate SNAP Payments Act
Snap Back Inaccurate SNAP Payments Act
Plain Language Summary
# Summary of HR 762: Snap Back Inaccurate SNAP Payments Act **What the Bill Would Do:** This bill aims to tighten oversight of the SNAP (food assistance) program by requiring states to recover overpayments made to recipients and changing how penalties are calculated for states with high error rates. Currently, the government allows small payment errors (up to $56 in 2024) to be ignored when measuring state accuracy. This bill would eliminate that tolerance level entirely, meaning even tiny errors would count toward a state's error rate. **Who It Affects:** The bill primarily impacts state agencies that administer SNAP benefits, as they would face stricter accountability standards and potential financial penalties for inaccuracies. It could indirectly affect SNAP recipients if states implement more rigorous (and potentially costly) verification processes.
The legislation also affects the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service, which oversees the program. **Current Status:** The bill was introduced in the 119th Congress by Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been voted on by the full House of Representatives.
CRS Official Summary
Snap Back Inaccurate SNAP Payments ActThis bill requires states to recoup any overpayments of benefits made to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients and adjusts the formula for determining a state's liability rate for overpayments.As background, the SNAP quality control system measures how accurately SNAP state agencies determine a household’s eligibility and benefit amount and determines overpayments of benefits and underpayments. States that have comparatively high payment error rates for two consecutive years are assessed a penalty (i.e., liability amount). The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) must use a statutory formula to determine the liability amount.Under current law, FNS must set a tolerance level for excluding small payment errors in the calculation of payment error rates (e.g., $56 or less in FY2024). This bill reduces the tolerance level for excluding small errors to $0 for FY2025 and each succeeding fiscal year.The bill also requires state agencies to recoup any overpayments of benefits made to SNAP beneficiaries.The bill adjusts the liability rate formula to reduce the state payment error rate based on the percentage of overpayments recouped by the state. Further, the bill increases the multiplier used in the liability rate formula to 25% (from 10%).
Latest Action
Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.