SNAP Policy Changes Are Still Unfolding in Arizona — Here’s What to Know 

A few months ago, SNAP was dominating headlines as shutdown-related disruptions left families at risk of losing access to food assistance. While attention has shifted, the federal policy changes, state legislative actions, and administrative challenges driving those conversations are still unfolding. These developments have profound implications for Arizona food security and families’ well-being.   

Here’s what’s happening with SNAP 

State legislative activity

Arizona lawmakers introduced several bills this session that tighten SNAP eligibility, increase monitoring requirements, and impose additional administrative responsibilities on the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES). Most recently, a sweeping floor amendment to HB 2728, the bill to continue DES, incorporates many of the restrictive proposals that have been debated throughout the session.  

Specifically, it would: 

• Require the state to reduce SNAP’s payment error rate — a measure of over- and under-payments states make — to 3 percent; a threshold widely viewed as unrealistic given how the federal error rate is calculated. 

• Mandate employment and training participation for many SNAP recipients. 

• Prohibit the state from seeking or using flexibilities or waivers for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) unless explicitly authorized by state law. 

• Expand data-matching and verification requirements, requiring frequent cross-checks of SNAP eligibility against multiple state and federal databases.  

• Require monitoring of out-of-state EBT transactions, triggering investigations when spending patterns exceed certain thresholds. 

• Direct the state to pursue federal waivers restricting certain SNAP purchases, including sugar-sweetened beverages and other items. 

Federal policy changes  

H.R. 1, signed into law in July, made major structural changes to SNAP. While the law was enacted last year, its full impacts are still emerging as states begin implementation, funding shifts take effect, and eligibility changes ripple through local economies. The changes from H.R. 1 include: 

• Eligibility restrictions: Eliminates SNAP eligibility for certain refugees and asylees unless they attain lawful permanent resident status.  

• Expansion of work requirements: Extends mandatory work requirements to adults ages 18-64 without dependents. 

• Administrative cost shifts: States’ share of SNAP administrative costs increases from 50 to 75 percent, meaning Arizona must cover a substantially larger portion of eligibility processing, case management, and oversight costs. 

• Future benefit cost shifts: While SNAP benefits have been historically paid fully by the federal government, H.R. 1 will now require states to cover a portion of SNAP benefits based on each state’s payment error rate. These cost shifts will begin in FY 2028.  

What it means 

• Declining SNAP participation: Recent state data show that SNAP participation in Arizona has already been declining. According to the Arizona Department of Economic Security Statistical Bulletin (January 2026), SNAP participation has fallen by tens of thousands of participants from recent peak levels. This reflects a plethora of issues including expiration of emergency allotments, renewed eligibility reviews, increased documentation requirements, and administrative procedural closures.  

• Increased churn risk: Stricter eligibility criteria and work requirements may lead to more Arizonans cycling on and off SNAP, disrupting food security, and increasing administrative burdens. 

• Fiscal implications: Arizona’s SNAP payment error rate in FY 2024 was 8.84%, surpassing the 6% threshold set by H.R. 1. If the rate remains above that threshold, Arizona could face federal penalties that require the state to cover a share of SNAP benefit costs, which could cost Arizona $139 million in fiscal year 2028. 

What we’re watching  

• Implementation and administrative rulemaking: We are closely monitoring how the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) translates legislative changes into administrative rules, guidance, and eligibility procedures, including how new verification requirements may affect case closures and benefit delays. 

• Procedural closures & administrative accuracy: Beyond the participation totals, we are closely tracking rates of procedural case closures, reapplication patterns (churn), processing times and backlog trends, and county-level disparities in benefit access. 

• Downstream economic & food security impacts: SNAP is an economic stabilizer. We’re looking out for how policy changes will affect local grocery spending, rural communities, and demand on food banks and emergency food systems across the state.