Legislators Can Save Texas $33 Million Annually by Streamlining SNAP Six-Month Eligibility Checks

NTFB and Feeding Texas are urging lawmakers to support HB 2202 and SB 1031 to save money, reduce state workload and decrease errors.

North Texas Food Bank, along with the Feeding Texas network of food banks, is urging state lawmakers to pass HB 2202 / SB 1031, and you can join us by submitting this digital action form to your representatives.

These companion bills would streamline six-month SNAP eligibility checks and decrease error rates by using technology and verified data sources to save the state time and money.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) has struggled with the significant backlog of SNAP applications since July 2023. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has placed HHSC under a Corrective Action Plan, but the agency has struggled for years to meet federal timeliness standards. 

“Thousands of Texans eligible for SNAP are going without critical food assistance while they wait for applications to be processed, which places undue strain on Texas food banks,” said Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas, the state association of food banks. “Streamlining the six-month eligibility check using technology and verified data sources offers a systemic solution to reduce workload and improve timeliness for HHSC. This process will not only reduce administrative burden and save costs but also decrease error rates, ensuring timely food assistance to vulnerable Texans.” 

HHSC requires SNAP recipients to provide updated information about their household circumstances every six months to ensure that they are still eligible. Under the current system, HHSC employees must manually review, verify and process each six-month eligibility check for SNAP beneficiaries. By utilizing technology and verified data sources to process these checks, the state could save millions a year in reduced administrative costs.  

This process, known as “periodic reporting,” will also minimize the risk of human error in data handling and eligibility determination. Fewer errors result in fewer costly corrections and adjustments. These updated eligibility checks would still undergo rigid, manual Quality Control measures to ensure the automations are working as intended. Texas is currently one of only five states to not adopt this streamlined process.

“Texas is behind the curve,” Cole said. “Forty-five states have already implemented this automated process and seen significant cost savings. It’s time the state’s eligibility process reflects our technological progress.” 

Georgia recently implemented periodic reporting and saw a 25% reduction in workload for their eligibility staff. Applied to Texas’s eligibility workforce, this change would save over $33 million in state funds per year. 

“Adopting streamlined six-month periodic reporting will save our state time and money, all while ensuring our neighbors facing hunger receive the critical food assistance they need without delay,” says Trisha Cunningham, North Texas Food Bank President & CEO. “We urge lawmakers to authorize HHS to pursue this innovative solution by passing HB 2202 and SB 1031.”

Encourage your representatives to streamline SNAP eligibility by submitting a digital action form through this link.