Following Fraud Hearing, Feeding Texas Urges Focus on the Facts
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 9, 2026
Media Contact: ECPR Texas
512-472-9599
feedingtexas@ecprtexas.com
TEXAS – Following a legislative hearing on April 8 about fraud in public benefit programs, Feeding Texas encourages Texans and legislators to ground the conversation about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the facts, focus on the most urgent risks to program integrity, and take the necessary steps to preserve SNAP for Texans facing food insecurity.
SNAP serves as a bridge to stability for millions of Texans during difficult times. It is also one of the most closely monitored public benefit programs in the nation, with multiple safeguards in place to ensure benefits are provided accurately and responsibly. Despite its strong track record, under HR 1 (the “One Big Beautiful Bill”), States may be required to take on a significant share of SNAP benefit costs starting in 2027 if they don’t meet new federal standards for payment accuracy.
“As policymakers and the public discuss fraud, we cannot lose sight of the program’s essential role in helping Texans access the nourishment they need to thrive,” said Celia Cole, chief executive officer at Feeding Texas. “Feeding Texas supports continued efforts to strengthen program integrity while being mindful not to create unnecessary barriers that prevent eligible seniors, children, veterans and working families from accessing help. Above all, we urge an informed, data-driven approach to ensure SNAP continues to operate efficiently and effectively.”
Understanding fraud, errors, and theft
Conversations about SNAP program integrity often combine very different concepts. It is important to distinguish among them.
Fraud refers to intentional deception to obtain benefits unlawfully. In Texas, this is rare. The state maintains one of the strongest fraud‑prevention systems in the country, led by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and the Office of Inspector General (OIG). As a result of rigorous eligibility screening, data matching and ongoing oversight, the rate of intentional program violations in SNAP is extraordinarily low, accounting for less than 0.1% in FY25.
“Feeding Texas applauds HHSC for its diligent work to prevent fraud, protect taxpayer dollars and ensure SNAP assistance reaches households that truly qualify,” Cole said. “Texans believe in taking care of our neighbors and being responsible with our resources. With one of the lowest fraud rates among public benefits and the ability to support healthier, more prosperous Texans, SNAP reflects both of those values.”
When discussing SNAP, much of Wednesday’s hearing focused on the future cost-share requirement and Texas’s Payment Error Rate (PER). Beginning in FY28 (October 1, 2027), HR 1 requires states to cover up to 15% of the cost of SNAP benefits, based on their PER. For more information about the pending SNAP cost share, view our one pager here.
Payment errors are often confused with fraud, but they are fundamentally different. The PER measures how accurately SNAP benefit amounts are calculated. It combines both overpayments and underpayments and reflects mistakes—not fraud—made during the application or recertification process. These errors can result from caseworker miscalculations or from household reporting challenges, especially when families have fluctuating income, changing household size or variable housing costs.
Importantly, once detected, payment errors are corrected. Households are required to repay overissued benefits, even when the error is made by the agency, and states must issue any underpayments owed to families. PER helps identify opportunities for system improvement; it is not a measure of criminal activity.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Feeding Texas’s vice president of policy and advocacy, Jamie Olson, testified on the SNAP payment error rate and urged the committee to view any potential cost-share as a one-time expense with a significant return on investment for Texas. Her full testimony can be found here.
SNAP skimming is theft — participants are the victims.
The most common form of SNAP‑related crime today is Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card skimming, a form of organized theft. Skimming occurs when criminals place illegal devices on card readers at stores or ATMs to capture EBT card numbers and PINs. Using that stolen information, criminals drain accounts, leaving families without the food assistance they rely on to meet basic needs.
Between October 2022 and December 2024, tens of thousands of Texas households had benefits stolen through skimming, resulting in more than $21 million in replaced benefits. These losses reflect theft from eligible families—not misuse of the program. Since federal replacement funding expired in late 2024, households whose benefits are stolen today often have no way to recover them.
“SNAP recipients affected by skimming are the victims of crime,” Cole said. “Addressing skimming is essential to protecting both families and the integrity of the program. Moving EBT cards to chip‑enabled technology, which is already the standard for most debit cards, would significantly reduce this form of theft.”
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About Feeding Texas
Feeding Texas is a statewide network of food banks leading a unified effort to end hunger in Texas. Its goal is to ensure access to adequate, nutritious food for all Texans, improve the health and financial stability of the communities they serve, and engage all stakeholders in advocating for hunger solutions. Learn more at FeedingTexas.org.
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- EBT skimming,
- Federal nutrition programs,
- Hunger policy,
- Payment error rate (PER),
- Program integrity,
- Public benefits,
- Public benefits Hunger policy Program integrity Texas Legislature Secondary tags SNAP fraud Payment error rate (PER) EBT skimming Food security Federal nutrition programs,
- SNAP,
- SNAP fraud,
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