Editor’s Note: This article is the second in a series marking Hunger Action Month in September.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is one of our nation’s most effective tools for fighting hunger by helping working families, children and older adults access nutritious food. Protecting and strengthening SNAP is hunger advocacy. Food banks provide an essential emergency response, but they cannot replace the scale and purchasing power of federal programs. Ensuring that eligible Texans can access SNAP — and that the program remains adequately funded — is essential to reducing hunger and helping families achieve greater stability.
New federal changes approved through H.R. 1 (the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill”) would shift more SNAP costs to states for the first time in the program’s history. The first change takes effect Oct. 1, when Texas will be required to pay 75% of SNAP administrative costs, up from the 50% it has historically covered. A second change, planned for Oct. 1, 2027, requires states to share benefit costs based on their SNAP error rates.
The current SNAP error rate in Texas is 9.34%, which could require the state to fund $709 million in SNAP benefits each year if the rate does not improve. Texas is working to get the error rate below 6%, but it was given only three months to do so. Meaningful improvement requires technology upgrades, staff training, and changes that take time to implement and show results. Before the pandemic, Texas consistently had an error rate below 6% and can do so again with adequate time. States with the highest error rates have already received additional time, and all states should have a fair chance to improve before facing major financial penalties.
North Texas Food Bank and the Feeding Texas network are urging lawmakers to request a two-year extension of the cost-share requirement, which has already been granted to other states. Program integrity and improved payment accuracy are important shared goals, as is protecting food assistance for Texas families, children, veterans and seniors. Delaying the cost share is a practical way to support both accountability and access to food.
Feeding Texas makes it easy for you to contact your representatives in support of a delay. Visit https://secure.feedingtexas.org/a/delay-snap-cost-share.