Snap Back Inaccurate SNAP Payments Act
The source supplies the latest action, but no lifecycle stage.
Latest action (24 Jan 2024): Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture.
What this bill does
H.R. 6501, the "Snap Back Inaccurate SNAP Payments Act," would amend the quality-control provisions of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, which governs the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The bill eliminates the existing small-dollar tolerance level that currently excludes minor payment errors from a state's official error-rate calculations, setting that threshold to zero starting in fiscal year 2024. It also changes federal oversight of high-error states from discretionary to mandatory ("may" becomes "shall"), raises a related numerical threshold from 10 to 25, and creates a new formula that reduces a state's calculated payment error rate based on the percentage of overpayments the state successfully recoups from recipients. In addition, it adds a new requirement that state agencies administering SNAP must actively seek to recoup benefit overpayments.
The bill primarily affects state agencies that run SNAP, changing how their payment-error rates are calculated and increasing pressure on them to recover overpaid benefits, potentially reducing federal liability payments tied to error rates. It could also indirectly affect SNAP recipients who received overpayments, since states would be required to pursue recoupment.
The bill was introduced on November 29, 2023, by Rep. Randy Feenstra with Rep. Bost as a cosponsor, and referred to the House Committee on Agriculture. It has not received a vote and remains at the introductory stage; further committee action would be needed before it could advance.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Snap Back Inaccurate SNAP Payments Act
This 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 (e.g., $54 or less in FY2023). This bill reduces the tolerance level for excluding small errors to $0 for FY2024 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 formula to 25% (from 10%).
Timeline
24 Jan 2024
Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 6501 do?
- H.R. 6501, the "Snap Back Inaccurate SNAP Payments Act," would amend the quality-control provisions of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, which governs the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The bill eliminates the existing small-dollar tolerance level that currently excludes minor payment errors from a state's official error-rate calculations, setting that threshold to zero starting in fiscal year 2024. It also changes federal oversight of high-error states from discretionary to mandatory ("may" becomes "shall"), raises a related numerical threshold from 10 to 25, and creates a new formula that reduces a state's calculated payment error rate based on the percentage of overpayments the state successfully recoups from recipients. In addition, it adds a new requirement that state agencies administering SNAP must actively seek to recoup benefit overpayments. The bill primarily affects state agencies that run SNAP, changing how their payment-error rates are calculated and increasing pressure on them to recover overpaid benefits, potentially reducing federal liability payments tied to error rates. It could also indirectly affect SNAP recipients who received overpayments, since states would be required to pursue recoupment. The bill was introduced on November 29, 2023, by Rep. Randy Feenstra with Rep. Bost as a cosponsor, and referred to the House Committee on Agriculture. It has not received a vote and remains at the introductory stage; further committee action would be needed before it could advance.
- Has H.R. 6501 become law?
- The source does not supply a confirmed lifecycle stage for H.R. 6501. Check the latest action and official source below.
- Who sponsored H.R. 6501?
- H.R. 6501 was sponsored by Rep. Feenstra, Randy [R-IA-4] (R-IA), with 2 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 6501?
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture. (24 Jan 2024).
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