ATLANTA — A group of Georgia lawmakers are working to tackle potential fraud in the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Under a bill proposed in January that is now making its way through the Georgia House of Representatives, lawmakers want to add new methods and regulations for verifying eligibility of SNAP recipients, and how often the state can check that those receiving assistance are still eligible.
SNAP, a federal program intended to provide food assistance to Americans in vulnerable, low-income households is managed state-by-state, with funding delivered from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service.
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In Georgia, management of the program falls to the Department of Human Services.
If passed, House Bill 947 would amend state laws to block purchases of certain types of foods and drinks with SNAP funds, echoing a goal of the current administration when it comes to what types of items are available for the program.
The bill also contains several provisions aimed at modifying the verification process for families to receive benefits.
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Should HB 947 pass, it would allow the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services to require more frequent recertifications for benefits, requiring recertification every four months instead of the current window of recertifying ever six to 12 months.
According to the bill text, lawmakers also want to have DFACS be able to subpoena records for beneficiaries and would have an inspector general provide applications for those subpoenas in writing to the Commissioner of Human Services.
The bill also sets a deadline on verifications.
Georgians that participate in the SNAP program must provide proof of residency in Georgia, income as well as citizenship or immigration status.
If they submit an application for SNAP benefits, and these documents are not provided for further verification within 30 days, benefits would be cut off.
For applicants or beneficiaries who request expedited certification, the documents must be supplied within seven days.
These deadlines, per the legislation, would apply to the four-month recertification periods, if passed, with the policy to take effect by Jan. 1, 2029.
DFACS would also have to start supplying status reports on policy implementation to leaders in the Georgia General Assembly beginning July 1, 2027.
Other state agencies and organizations, such as the Department of Public Health, Department of Labor, the Georgia Department of Corrections and even the Georgia Lottery Corporation, among others, must also be partnered with by DHS and DFACS for income verification purposes, to ensure households that receive benefits are still eligible.
Among agencies the bill names for data-sharing agreements are several federal agencies as well.
This includes matching data with the fleeing felon database maintained by the FBI, Social Security Administration data, pension information, beneficiary records and other income documentation from the administration, as well as child support enforcement data kept by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The bill blocks SNAP benefits from being used to purchase food or drinks in food service establishments, nor will the benefits cover hot or cold drinks prepared in food sales establishments.
State officials will also have to report on vendor participation in farmers market SNAP programs and any issues with implementation or unintended consequences of the change of policy, while offering recommendations to improve.
The provisions of the bill for data sharing come after a judge recently denied efforts by the Trump administration to require that states share information about people who have applied for assistance from SNAP, or received it.
The bill has not made it to a floor vote yet. If passed, HB 947 takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.
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