The state of Arkansas will soon have to shoulder more of the cost for SNAP benefits. On Monday, December 8, members of the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) spoke before a joint legislative committee with details. As Little Rock Public Radio reports, Arkansas’ share of administrative costs will rise 25%, from 50% to 75% starting in the 2027 fiscal year for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program.
That is just one of the new provisions included included in the new federal law known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), approved by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump on July 4, 2025. The law stipulates that states may face additional SNAP cost increases based on calculated reporting error rates. That statistic measures improper payments, among other factors. Division of County Services Director Mary Franklin says higher rates begin at an error rate above 6%. The state of Arkansas is 7.29%. There is no fee to a state if mistaken amounts (error rates) are sent to families which amount to less than 6% statewide.
But as Franklin explains, “Above 6% would be around a $25 million cost. I don’t have the math for beyond that, but we can certainly get that to you. And I would just say that this is an estimate. It’s based on how many households receive SNAP, how much are the benefits, and also the error rate.”
The additional administrative cost begins October of next year. The cost associated with a higher error rate percentage will take place in October of 2027. Arkansas DHS Secretary Janet Mann says they are working on multiple fronts to bring that error rate down. “We have reached out to other states that have lower error rates to enquire what are they doing? How are they doing things differently? In addition, I think it’s important to note that the beneficiary errors, if they fail to report something, or report something in error, that counts against us also. So we’re focused on how do we educate the beneficiaries on the information that is needed, but also on our staff and team of what to ask for. How do we have those interviews? And be
consistent.”
Then there is the matter of work requirements spelled out in the OBBBA. It requires non-disabled adults, without dependents, up to age 64 to work to receive SNAP benefits. Exceptions include a disability, substance abuse disorder treatment or attending school. The work requirement calls for 30 hours per week, or earn the equivalent of minimum wage for at least 20 hours a week.
