Arizona Faces Highest Food Stamp Cuts in Nation After HR 1 Law Takes Effect
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Governor Cites Federal Requirements and Staffing Shortages as Drivers of Sharp SNAP Decline
Arizona has lost the largest share of food stamp recipients nationwide after the federal HR 1 law took effect, with a 32 percent drop in program participation according to federal data and potentially more severe declines in state records.
A study from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities found that participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program dropped by 2.5 million people nationwide since HR 1 and its new requirements were enacted in July and December.
But Arizona stands out dramatically. A 32 percent decline in Arizona translates to approximately 6 percent according to figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Yet state Department of Economic Security figures show an even steeper 47 percent decrease, a reduction of more than 400,000 people including 180,000 children. That leaves fewer than 490,000 recipients as of February.
Federal Law Changes SNAP Administration
Dubbed the Big Beautiful Bill by President Trump, HR 1 expanded work requirements to cover able-bodied single adults up to age 65. The law also shifted more costs of administering the program to states.
Perhaps most significantly, states that do not bring error rates below 6 percent must cover 15 to 100 percent of actual benefit costs, which until now have been fully paid by Washington.
Arizona had an 8.8 percent error rate in the 2023-2024 budget year. For the last fiscal year, it was projected to be 10.4 percent. The state Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting reported that while this remains below the national average of 10.9 percent, the financial implications are severe.
At current error rates, Arizona could face $195.4 million in costs for the 2027-2028 fiscal year. If error rates hit 10 percent, that figure could reach nearly $300 million.
Staffing Shortages Complicate Implementation
The sharp decline in recipients is complicated by two factors, according to gubernatorial press aide Christian Slater.
About 500 workers at the state Department of Economic Security were laid off in the summer of 2025, including eligibility workers. The number of workers reviewing food stamps eligibility dropped by 1,370 in July 2024 to 880 this past July.
The agency is processing an estimated 54,000 new and renewal applications, of which 18,000 are taking more than 30 days.
Governor Katie Hobbs responded in December by earmarking $7.5 million in unused federal COVID-19 funds to address staffing constraints at DES. This included hiring temporary workers to expand the agencies capacity to verify applicants income.
State Officials Cite Federal Intent
Slater said what is happening in Arizona is precisely what was intended by the Trump administration. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, announcing a 3.3 million reduction in SNAP recipients, called it a signal that the federal government is once again working for the American public.
But the decline has sparked political debate. Republican Congressman David Schweikert, who is hoping to oust Governor Hobbs in November, said Arizona is an outlier demonstrating management failures.
States were incentivized to reduce errors and manage benefits efficiently, Schweikert said of HR 1.
But Arizona 10.4 percent error rate in the most recent fiscal year meant that Arizona had to do a lot more culling of ineligible recipients, he said.
Arizona management failures of this governor, Schweikert said.
DES Official Predicts Stabilization
DES spokesman Brett Bezio offered a different perspective.
It is important to note that we believe most of the impact of the changes from HR 1 has been realized, he said.
We will begin to see consistency in the SNAP caseload in the months ahead, Bezio said.
As other states fully implement the provisions of HR 1 and Arizona stabilizes, we expect differences in caseload decline between other states to more closely align.
Bezio also said that Hobbs has requested an additional $48.4 million for the agency for the coming budget year, including 146 new employees.
It should cut delays as well as help ensure the state gets below the error rate at which point there would be penalties, he said.
Data Shows Continued Sharp Decline
Despite the new funding and staffing plans, the data continues to show a sharp decline in food stamp recipients. According to DES, the caseload dropped from 598,852 in December to 485,460 in February.
And there is something else, Slater said.
Other states may not have yet made the same changes as Arizona in screening to reduce their error rates, he said.
Slater predicted that the decline in the number of food stamp recipients now showing up in Arizona is just a precursor of what will be reflected in data from other states in the coming months.
That is also the assessment of DES spokesman Brett Bezio.
Sources:
- Arizona Capitol Times: https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2026/04/10/arizona-sees-highest-reduction-in-food-stamp-recipients-after-hr-1-study-finds/