Category

Uncategorized

Snap violation attorney Columbus Ohio

By | Uncategorized | No Comments

Snap violation attorney Columbus Ohio

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is discontinuing two federal programs that allocated approximately $1 billion to schools and food banks for purchasing food from local farms, ranchers, and producers. The agency cited a shift toward “long-term, fiscally responsible initiatives” as the reason for the decision.

This change eliminates about $660 million in funding for the Local Food for Schools program, which operates in 40 states, and approximately $420 million for the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement, which supports food banks and community organizations in distributing food.

In an email to CBS News, a USDA spokesperson confirmed that states, territories, and tribes have been notified that funding for the pandemic-era Local Food for Schools and Child Care Cooperative Agreement, as well as the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement, will no longer be available. The agreements will be terminated following a 60-day notice period.

In recent days, schools were informed that they would lose $660 million in federal funding for the current year, according to Diane Pratt-Heavner, director of media relations for the School Nutrition Association, which represents thousands of school meal staff. She noted that the funding cut comes at a time when schools nationwide are already facing high food costs.

“It’s a significant loss”

One school district reported that the USDA’s decision would eliminate $100,000 in funding it had planned to use for purchasing local beef and produce for student meals.

It’s a significant loss, particularly for fresh fruits and vegetables, for the kids all over Ohio. This wasn’t just about keeping food costs down—it was also about supporting our community and local farmers.

Although the $100,000 accounts for only about 2% of the district’s $6 million annual food budget, Bilbrey emphasized that the funding allowed them to source from small farmers and introduce students to produce like microgreens. She added that the loss of funding comes at a difficult time, as many school districts are already struggling to keep meals affordable due to rising food and labor costs.

Snap violation attorney Columbus Ohio

Snap Violation Lawyer for prepared food and EBT California

By | Uncategorized | No Comments

Snap Violation Lawyer for prepared food and EBT California

In the United States (as well as Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) offers Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT), which allows those accepted into the program to pay for groceries and various food items with SNAP benefits. This monthly stipend is offered to individuals and families with low incomes to provide extra money for healthy meals. Many retail stores across the country accept SNAP benefits, like Walgreens, CVS, Target, and even virtual stores like Amazon and DoorDash.

Certain states also participate in the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP), in which EBT users can purchase prepared meals at restaurants instead of groceries. The RMP has much stricter guidelines than the overarching SNAP benefits — all members of a household must be either elderly, disabled, homeless, and/or married to an RMP member to be considered. On top of its stringent application requirements, only nine states currently participate in the RMP: Arizona, California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Rhode Island, and Virginia. Fortunately, anyone accepted into the RMP and residing in one of the aforementioned states can enjoy a hot lunch at various McDonald’s restaurants (as long as local regulatory agencies approve the store).

While there are McDonald’s locations that accept EBT cards for payment in RMP-participating states, they are actually pretty far and few between. McDonald’s restaurants in Rhode Island, Illinois, Michigan, and Maryland do not accept SNAP benefits despite being RMP states. The quickest and easiest way to collect this information is by contacting a participating state’s EBT office and requesting information regarding fast food chains that accept EBT cards. Otherwise, restaurants websites or management may be able to answer questions about SNAP benefits if asked directly.

Low-Income Households in Texas Would Lose Food Aid Under Proposed SNAP Cuts

By | Uncategorized | No Comments

Low-Income Households in Texas Would Lose Food Aid Under Proposed SNAP Cuts

The budget resolution that the House plans to take up this week directs the House Agriculture Committee to cut programs in its jurisdiction by at least $230 billion through 2034, with these cuts expected to come largely or entirely from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and to be used to help pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest business owners and households. The narrower budget resolution adopted by the Senate instructs the Senate Agriculture Committee to cut at least $1 billion over the same period, though the actual cuts sought through this process and in a second budget resolution expected later this year could be much deeper. Substantial cuts to SNAP would mean households with low incomes in every state would lose support they need to put food on the table, worsening food insecurity and hardship. (See Table 1.)

The specific policies the House and Senate Agriculture Committees will pursue to make these cuts are still unknown. But one thing is clear: lawmakers cannot cut $230 billion — or anything close to that amount — from SNAP without slashing benefits, restricting eligibility, or some combination of both. Republican lawmakers could make these benefit or eligibility cuts directly through changes to federal SNAP policy. But they could also enact them indirectly by shifting costs to states, forcing state officials to decide whose benefits will be cut and by how much.

Regardless of how Republican lawmakers enact a cut of this magnitude, this would slash more than 20 percent from a program that helps more than 40 million people, including 1 in 5 children, afford groceries.

Massive Cuts Would Result in Widespread Harm

Lawmakers may use several harmful options to impose these deep SNAP cuts, including:

Immediately cutting benefits for all SNAP participants by an average of $1.40 per day. Lawmakers could cut SNAP by $230 billion by rolling back the 2021 update to the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) and permanently freezing its cost outside of annual inflation adjustments, based on a recent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate. The 2021 update to the TFP, which is the basis for SNAP benefit levels, adjusted the real purchasing power of SNAP benefits for the first time in nearly 60 years to account for changes in dietary guidance and how low-income households shop for and prepare food. The resulting increase in SNAP benefits lifted more than 2 million people, including nearly 1 million children, above the poverty line when it went into effect, with the greatest poverty-reducing impact for Black and Hispanic individuals.

Reversing this update and restricting future increases would slash SNAP benefits for all participants immediately upon taking effect, with the cut growing deeper over time. The average SNAP benefit in fiscal year 2026 is projected to be only $6.40 per person per day. Under this proposal, each SNAP participant would lose an average of $1.40 per day initially, cutting the daily average benefit to only $5.00 per person. By 2034, this policy would slash the average daily benefit from $8.00 per person per day to only about $5.85, based on our analysis of CBO’s projections. This would make it more difficult for more than 40 million people to afford groceries, 90 percent of whom are in households with children, older adults, or people with disabilities.

Taking SNAP away from more than 9 million low-income people in an average month. If lawmakers don’t want to cut SNAP benefits — as Rep. GT Thompson, chair of the House Agriculture Committee, has indicated — they could instead make these cuts by ending SNAP eligibility entirely for certain participants. But reaching $230 billion in cuts solely through reduced participation would require removing more than 9 million people receiving the average benefit from SNAP in a typical month. Because nearly all SNAP households include a child, an older adult, or someone with a disability, it would not be possible to completely protect those households from an eligibility cut this massive.

Even existing proposals that would take food away from some households with children, older adults, or people with disabilities would not cut enough to meet the $230 billion target. For example, a proposal from Rep. Dusty Johnson to dramatically expand SNAP’s existing harsh work requirement could take away food assistance from millions of people. Currently, SNAP participation is limited to only three months in a three-year period for most adults aged 18 through 54 without children in the home unless they can demonstrate they are working at least 20 hours per week or prove they qualify for an exemption, such as having a disability.

Johnson’s proposal would expand this punitive work requirement to older adults up to age 65, parents and grandparents in households with children aged 7 or older, veterans, people experiencing homelessness, youth who have aged out of foster care, and people who live in areas without sufficient jobs. CBO previously estimated that a similar policy would take away SNAP from 3 to 3.5 million people in an average month.

But the harm of this policy would not be limited to the individuals being cut off from SNAP; everyone in their households would also receive less help to buy groceries. For example, more than 4 million children between the ages of 7 and 17 live in households that would be at risk of losing some amount of food assistance under this proposal.

But even this draconian policy would make only a fraction of House Republicans’ $230 billion target, CBO estimated.  If lawmakers pursue it in reconciliation legislation, they would have to combine it with other harmful policies, like taking help away from even more people, to reach their deep cut target.

Multiple studies have shown that SNAP’s work requirement takes food away from people without leading to increased employment or earnings. That suggests that the vast majority of those 3 to 3.5 million people would lose the assistance they need to buy groceries without any improvement in their employment prospects. Most SNAP participants who can work do, either while they are receiving SNAP or within a year. But because this requirement substantially increases red tape for participants and state agencies, even people who are working can be cut off SNAP if they can’t successfully document enough hours. Similarly, people who should not be subject to the work requirement (e.g., because they have a disability) can lose benefits if their state fails to screen them for an exemption.

Shifting benefit costs to states — which would force them to cut benefits, eligibility, or both. Because the benefit or eligibility cuts required to achieve $230 billion in SNAP cuts would likely be deeply unpopular, Republican lawmakers may force state officials to make them instead. States pay half of the cost of administering SNAP, but the federal government funds 100 percent of benefit costs, which make up the vast majority of program costs. Virtually all states must balance their budgets each year, so shifting even a small portion of SNAP benefit costs to states would require states to raise revenue or cut funding for other programs or services. This would strain state budgets and likely force states to cut SNAP benefits, eligibility, or both.

This radical change in SNAP’s funding structure would abandon the long-standing national commitment to provide low-income households a SNAP benefit sufficient to afford a basic healthy diet. It could also create substantial disparities between states. States with lower incomes and higher rates of poverty would likely have a much harder time funding a share of SNAP benefit costs than wealthier states, exacerbating hardship in states that already struggle with high rates of food insecurity and poverty.

A cost-sharing requirement also would be particularly harmful during recessions, when states would need to provide even more state funds to accommodate increased need as more people lose income and become eligible for SNAP at the same time state revenues are declining. In a weak economy, each $1 in additional spending on SNAP benefits generates $1.54 in economic activity when households use their benefits to shop at local stores in their communities. But states may lack the funds to provide those additional resources, resulting in increased food insecurity, undermining SNAP’s ability to act as an economic stimulus, and hindering economic recovery.

Program Integrity Measures Could Not Make Cuts of This Magnitude

Lawmakers could not make $230 billion in SNAP cuts solely through program integrity measures. Cases of intentional fraud by participants or SNAP authorized retailers are relatively rare. Most overpayments identified through SNAP’s uniquely rigorous quality control system are the result of unintentional mistakes by eligibility workers or households — not fraud. Even if lawmakers could somehow eliminate overpayments, which is not realistic, there aren’t enough of them to add up to a $230 billion cut.

Other important measures that would strengthen program integrity, such as enhancing the security of EBT cards to prevent electronic benefit theft, have associated implementation costs that would likely modestly increase federal spending.

Cuts Would Weaken SNAP’s Proven Effectiveness

Deep SNAP cuts would worsen food insecurity, hurt local businesses, and weaken SNAP’s ability to boost jobs in every state. SNAP is highly effective at reducing food insecurity and poverty, and research links SNAP participation to better health outcomes and lower health care costs.

Regardless of how lawmakers impose $230 billion or more in cuts to SNAP, these cuts would make it harder for low-income families in every state to afford groceries, worsening food insecurity and hardship. Slashing low-income households’ grocery budgets would also reduce revenue for thousands of businesses in every state, with ripple effects throughout the food supply chain.

Low-Income Households in Texas Would Lose Food Aid Under Proposed SNAP Cuts

Snap Retailer Training

By | Uncategorized | No Comments

Snap Retailer Training

As a SNAP retailer, you are legally responsible for your actions and the actions of everyone who works in your store, whether they are paid or not. When you applied to accept SNAP benefits, you agreed to fulfill certain training expectations. Here you can find resources that will help you to fulfill those expectations.

Regulations

SNAP regulations can be found at Title 7; Subtitle B; Chapter II; Subchapter C – Food Stamp and Food Distribution Program of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Training Guide and Videos

A 20-page training guide that explains program rules, regulations, and policies. The guide also answers all frequently asked questions (FAQ) about topics such as eligible food, SNAP sales tax, manufacturer’s coupons, and your point-of-sale equipment. We strongly encourage you to review the guide with all owners and employees.

Four videos accompany the guide:

  • Video 1 – Authorization: explains how you can apply to accept SNAP benefits and what you can expect during the eligibility process.
  • Video 2 – Basic Guidelines: explains how to prepare your store to accept SNAP benefits, including training requirements for everyone who works in your store, and describes how SNAP benefits can and cannot be used.
  • Video 3 – Transactions and Payment: explains how you can obtain equipment for accepting SNAP benefits, and how you’ll receive payment for a SNAP purchase.
  • Video 4 – Information for Cashiers: provides an overview of SNAP for people who work in your store, describes the steps for a successful transaction and explains the DOs and DON’Ts.

You can use the training guide and videos to help educate everyone who works in your store.

SNAP Retailer Posters and Decals

The SNAP Fraud and Abuse poster makes it clear that buying or selling SNAP or WIC benefits is a federal crime. The poster provides contact information for reporting abuse in FNS programs and is required to be posted in all SNAP authorized stores.

Other Training Resources

 

Snap Retailer Training

Snap EBT Violations Lawyer California

By | Uncategorized | No Comments

Snap EBT Violations Lawyer California

California is expanding SNAP benefits for thousands after Governor Gavin Newsom approved a new bill designed to ensure food security within the state.

Millions of people qualify for benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which helps low-income Americans afford nutritious foods and avoid going hungry every year. SNAP is known as CalFresh in California and serves nearly 5 million residents.

The CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable Electronic Benefits Transfer Pilot Project boosted benefits for Californians using SNAP by offering $1 back on EBT cards for every $1 of CalFresh benefits spent on fresh fruits and vegetables. The program ended in April after running out of money, but after AB 3229 was passed, the state will be looking into making the pilot permanent.

“AB 3229 will ensure a long-term solution to making the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable Pilot a permanent program so that CalFresh recipients can continue to benefit from supplemental benefits,” California Assemblymember Alex Lee told Newsweek. “It’s all the more important when CalFresh families already saw their benefits drop as COVID-19 federal aid for extra CalFresh benefits ended last year.”

“This is great news for those who qualify, as not only does it equate to a continuation of a program that is needed for low-income families, but it’s also one that promotes healthier food options,” Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek.

Lee first introduced the legislation, which allowed SNAP recipients to get up to an extra $60 for nutritious food each month.

“The CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Pilot Project is highly effective in addressing food insecurity,” Lee said in a statement. “It provided tens of thousands of Californians with healthier and more nutritious food. AB 3229 is part of my broader efforts to ensure that this program continues to benefit the most vulnerable Californians.”

The CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable program originally went live in 2023, but since the pilot ran out of funding, Lee secured $10 million to revive the program.

“The benefit provides a dollar-for-dollar benefit for those eligible on the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables,” Kevin Thompson, a finance expert and the founder and CEO of 9i Capital Group, told Newsweek. “This helped beneficiaries spend money on healthier options that are seen to lower unhealthy outcomes.”

Under AB 3229, the state must evaluate the pilot program and plan to transition the project into a permanent offering in California.

A person shopping at a grocery store in Rosemead, California, on August 14. California has expanded SNAP benefits under a new program helping recipients access fruits and vegetables.

The California Department of Social Services must submit a report to the legislature by July 1 of next year outlining the necessary steps to transition the pilot into a long-term program.

“With the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program, California has a great program that reduces hunger, improves health, and supports California’s agricultural economy,” Eli Zigas, the executive director of Fullwell, a sponsor of AB 3229, said in a statement.

“We are grateful that Assemblymember Alex Lee, along with his colleagues in the Legislature, and Governor Newsom see the value of this program and want a plan from the Department of Social Services for how to scale it up in the near future. The passage of AB 3229 is a positive step in accelerating the growth of this program’s reach and impact.”

Food insecurity is common across California, with roughly a quarter of state households reporting issues accessing affordable or healthy food in 2024, according to the California Association of Food Banks.

Not having access to healthy food can also cause health care costs to surge in the long run. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicted that food insecurity would cost the state over $7 billion yearly in health care.

“This bill will improve the health and well-being of people in Santa Clara County and across the state by increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables,” Angelica Diaz, Healthy Communities branch director at the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department, said in a statement.

“Part of our commitment to equity is working to remove barriers – like insufficient access to healthy fruits and vegetables – that contribute to poor health down the road, and that’s why making this pilot program permanent is so important.”

More than 85 grocery stores and some farmers’ markets participated in the pilot for the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable program.

Lee said that just in Santa Clara County, more than 7,200 households benefited, and families collectively received $460,000 more to use on healthy food between fall 2023 and April 2024.

Beene said that food assistance programs typically do little to encourage more health-conscious choices when distributing food to recipients.

Snap EBT Violations Lawyer CaliforniaSNAP violation lawyer video

Snap EBT Violation Attorney Chicago Illinois

By | Uncategorized | No Comments

Snap EBT Violation Attorney Chicago Illinois

CHICAGO (WLS) — People receiving food stamp benefits in Illinois may not be getting enough to adequately feed their family, a report from the Urban Institute research group said.

The study revealed a gap between what Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients receive every month and the cost of an average meal. Consumer advocates argue the rising cost of food prices justify a boost in the federal SNAP program, which will benefit not just those who receive food stamps but our entire country.

“All I get is Social Security, which is not a lot of money. Without the food benefits, I wouldn’t be able to eat,” said June Campbell.

Campbell is among nearly 42 million Americans who rely on SNAP, but she said lately it’s been hard to make her food stamps stretch.

A study conducted by the nonpartisan research group Urban Institute found that SNAP benefits are falling short. Their data shows the average maximum SNAP benefit in 2023 was $2.84 per meal, which is $0.53 less than the average cost of a modestly priced meal, $3.37.

Elaine Waxman, senior fellow at the Urban Institute, said the extra money per meal out of pocket quickly adds up for families.

“What that tells us is that the SNAP program, while we know is very effective in reducing food insecurity, is really under-resourced and is not providing enough resources for people to really put food on the table,” she said.

Waxman said four in 10 households in the U.S. use SNAP as their only resource for purchasing food, and when those benefits run out, the family suffers.

“What that means then they have to develop coping strategies. So, they buy cheaper less-nutritious-but-more-calories options to make things meet. They have to turn to charitable food,” she said. “I think the thing that is particular worrisome for us is that we know that food insecurity is associated with higher risk of a number of health conditions like diabetes, like hypertension.”

IN 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture made updates to the “Thrifty Food Plan,” which estimates the cost of a healthy diet and is used to determine SNAP benefit amounts. It was the first permanent update to the Thrifty Food Plan in 45 years.

“It actually increased the value of the SNAP benefit by about 21%. But, the statistic we just talked about shows that that’s still didn’t get us to where we needed to be,” Waxman explained.

The USDA, which oversees the SNAP program, told the I-Team significant steps have been taken to increase benefits, saying, “SNAP is the most powerful, far-reaching tool available to ensure people with low incomes can purchase healthy food. USDA’s major food assistance programs are designed to respond to changing economic conditions, including increases in food prices, and help alleviate the effects of inflation on American families.”

SNAP recipients also received a temporary boost in their benefits form COVID-19.

“Food insecurity dropped dramatically during that time, despite that fact that a lot of people were temporality out of work or facing other cost pressure maybe having been ill,” Waxman said. “So we saw that a boost in SNAP benefits can really make a big difference. Unfortunately, that expired at the end of the pandemic. We understand that it was a temporary benefit, but we did learn that lesson.”

Campbell hopes lawmakers and the federal government will push to provide more SNAP assistance as she struggles to put food on the table.

“You go in here, I just spend $150. I’m only one person. When my husband was alive, $150 would feed us for a month. But not now,” she said.

The Urban Institute said SNAP benefits are an issue everyone in our country should get behind, because without nutritional meals, the rate of chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension increases, which results in higher healthcare costs for everyone.

Illinois Congressman Jonathan Jackson, who sits on the Agriculture Committee, said he is actively engaged in efforts to expand SNAP through a bipartisan farm bill. The current farm bill expires in September

Snap EBT Violation Attorney Chicago Illinois

Snap Violation Attorney Kansas Missouri

By | Uncategorized | No Comments

Snap Violation Attorney Kansas Missouri

A scam to steal food stamp benefits from some of Kansas City’s poorest families picked up again this summer.

Thieves installed inconspicuous gadgets at grocery store checkouts, many along Independence Avenue in Kansas City’s northeast, and skimmed the data — and dollars — right off the EBT (electronic benefit transfer) cards the state issues to distribute aid.

Missouri officials believe they have largely contained this latest wave of fraud that’s stolen grocery money from about 1,500 people.

“(But) they’ll come up with another scheme,” said Dana Carrington, chief of investigations with Missouri’s Department of Social Services.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, is one of 15 federal food aid programs. Combined, they reach a quarter of all Americans each year. SNAP dollars, which are designated to low-income people, can be used to buy groceries.

Around 330,000 Missouri families receive the food benefit each month. In fiscal year 2024, the state paid out $1.6 billion in SNAP benefits through EBT cards. This year the state added summer food aid, known as Sun Bucks. So far just over $35 million of that summer aid has been paid out, also using EBT cards.

States distribute SNAP on EBT cards that look, and can be used, like a credit card. But unlike credit cards, which contain a chip that makes data harder to steal, EBT cards leave information like account numbers and PINs unencrypted. When someone swipes an EBT card’s magnetic strip through a phony card reader, they’re basically handing over the keys to their food stamp

How SNAP or food stamp dollars are stolen

Carrington said criminals often place skimmers at self-checkout stations in small bodegas where security is limited. Most often, the stores are in poor neighborhoods. Once an EBT card is swiped and account data is captured, criminals can transfer it to a cloned card. And that’s how money is stolen.

In the latest scam to target Kansas CIty, criminals use the EBT card data they’ve stolen in Kansas City and elsewhere. Then they cash that information in by setting up phony storefronts in New York City. That makes it look like they were buying groceries there, when they were actually just draining accounts.

Carrington said his team in Missouri is sharing information with New York law enforcement agencies. So far, though, no one has been prosecuted.

“These are our most vulnerable families,” said Karen Siebert, advocacy and public policy adviser for Harvesters — The Community Food Network. “That’s heartbreaking.”

Victims can apply to have stolen funds reimbursed. Carrington said that process typically takes a couple of weeks. The federal government has money set aside for reimbursing victims of card skimming.

During the third quarter of 2024, the federal government spent $53.5 million reimbursing states for stolen benefits, resulting from almost 288,000 fraudulent transactions. Since Congress began reimbursing states for stolen benefits two years ago, the government has replaced almost $151 million worth of benefits.

Those federal reimbursement funds are only guaranteed through Dec 20. After that, federal money designated for reimbursements will run out if Congress doesn’t act.

While some states are looking at issuing more secure chipped EBT cards, Missouri doesn’t have plans to do that. Chipped cards are more expensive, and their cost would fall to states without federal help.

Missouri is among five states selected last year to test mobile payment technology, so recipients could spend benefits using their mobile phones. But it is unclear when that will begin, or if it will continue under the new federal administration.

In the meantime, Carrington said it’s important for people to take precautions so they can avoid being victims of benefit skimming, which could affect any benefits paid using EBT cards. In Missouri, that includes SNAP, Sun Bucks and Temporary Assistance.

He advises people to: avoid self-checkout stations at stores, which are more likely to have card skimmers; change their card identification or PIN number frequently; and set up their account to block out-of-state purchases.

Snap EBT violation Attorney New York

By | Uncategorized | No Comments

Snap Violations and EBT disqualification in New York

By | Uncategorized | No Comments

Snap Violations and EBT disqualification in New York

Big changes could be coming for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which faces new scrutiny as the incoming Trump Administration searches for ways to slash the federal budget to offset tax cuts in 2025, according to a story in the Washington Post.

That could be a problem not only for the roughly 34 million SNAP recipients, but also for grocery retailers across the board that collect billions in revenue through the program. 

The federal government spent an estimated $119.4 billion on SNAP benefits in fiscal year 2022. Additionally, $5.5 billion was allotted for administrative and other expenses associated with the program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, according to a report by the Pew Research Center

The Pew report noted that SNAP is one of the federal government’s largest social welfare programs, comparable in size to Medicare, which cost $747.2 billion in FY22; Medicaid at $591.9 billion; veterans’ benefits at $161.2 billion; and unemployment compensation at $33.1 billion.

The Washington Post story notes that such entitlement programs, particularly SNAP and Medicaid, could see significant changes in the coming years, such as spending caps. 

Speaking with off-the-record sources close to the administration, the Washington Post notes that discussions on program cuts and spending limits are preliminary but focus on Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, which are set to expire at the end of 2025. 

Trump has promised to extend the tax cuts, which is estimated to add $4 trillion to the national debt, which currently stands at $36 billion. 

Republicans are already looking closely at Medicaid and SNAP cuts. Rep. Jodey Arrington, a Texas Republican who serves as chair of the House Budget Committee, said last week that a work requirement for Medicaid could net $100 billion, and another $160 billion could come from requiring more frequent check-ins on Medicaid eligibility, according to the Washington Post article. 

Lawmakers are also considering stripping the president of the authority to increase SNAP benefits, a power originally granted the executive office in the 2017 farm bill. 

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan research institute, noted in a report released in September that the House Republican Study Committee, a conservative caucus of Republicans legislators, and the Republican House Budget Committee both call for massive cuts to SNAP over the next decade. 

The Republican Study Committee calls for a roughly 22% cut to SNAP benefits and rescinding the federal government’s 2021 Thrifty Food Plan, “which adjusted SNAP benefits to reflect the cost of a healthy diet based on today’s dietary guidelines and food consumption patterns.”

“This cut would affect 41 million people participating in SNAP, formerly known as food stamps. (HBC and Project 2025 also sharply criticize the Thrifty Food Plan increase but are not clear about rescinding it.),” the study noted. “And Project 2025 calls for gutting summer food assistance programs that children in families with low incomes rely on when school is out, which could include the new Summer EBT program that is expected to provide grocery benefits to more than 21 million children this summer.”

Arrington said in the Washington Post article that streamlining entitlement programs would help preserve the benefits and that Republicans do not aim to penalize recipients. 

Newsweek reports that Republicans have also discussed limiting the kinds of foods SNAP recipients could purchase with their benefits or following an earlier Trump proposal from 2017 to create “harvest boxes” that would replace an estimated 40% of SNAP benefits with a government-funded food delivery box including only non-perishable items. 

That proposal, which was never enacted, was opposed by the National Grocers Association. In late 2017, the NGA sent a letter to Capitol Hill, urging lawmakers to oppose the plan. 

“History demonstrates that when the government doles out food, not only is it inefficient and more expensive to the taxpayer, but low-income populations also end up hungry and malnourished,” the NGA wrote. 

While SNAP beneficiaries have the most to lose from a reduction in the program, grocers across the country also are likely to see a substantial hit to the bottom line. Recipients spend an average of $740 a month on groceries using SNAP, according to a recent study by data analytics firm Numerator

Numerator’s SNAP Shopper Scorecard, released in October, showed that more than a quarter (25.8%) of SNAP dollars are spent at Walmart. Kroger was the next biggest recipient, collecting 9.1%, followed by Albertsons at 6.5%, Costco at 6.2%, Sam’s Club at 3.8%, Ahold Delhaize at 3.4%, 7-Eleven at 2.9%, Dollar General and Publix each at 2.6%, and Aldi at 2.1%.

 

Snap Violations and EBT disqualification in New York

 

EBT Snap violation Lawyer Omaha Nebraska

By | Uncategorized | No Comments

EBT Snap violation Lawyer Omaha Nebraska

People who lost power may be eligible for snap or summer EBT benefits.

It would go toward replacing lost food.

To be eligible, power must’ve been turned off for four hours or longer for refrigerated food and 24 hours for frozen food. You also need to be an active SNAP recipient to be eligible.

Loss cannot exceed more than one month’s benefit limit and must be reported within 10 days of occurrence.

A signed statement is also required.

adminreviewwin1.30.23

EBT Snap violation Lawyer Omaha Nebraska