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HD 6029

A communication from the Department of Transitional Assistance (see item 4400-0709 of Section 2 of Chapter 73 of the Acts of 2025) submitting a report on strategies for reducing Payment Error Rates (PER) and summarizing policy changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

194th Legislature (2025-2026)

Massachusetts aims to reduce SNAP payment error rate to avoid steep cost increases from federal changes by boosting verification, staffing, QA, data analytics, and technology upgra

Placed on file
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HD 6029

Summary of Bill HD 6029 (Session 194th, Massachusetts)

Purpose and Intent

  • The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) submits a report on strategies to reduce the Payment Error Rate (PER) for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in Massachusetts.
  • The report also summarizes policy changes implemented in SNAP in response to recent federal changes (notably the August 2025-era changes under OB(B)BA) and outlines actions to preserve SNAP access while improving payment accuracy.
  • The document aligns with the broader goal of minimizing ERRORS in SNAP determinations to avoid increasing state cost-shares and potential penalties.

Key Provisions and Changes Highlighted

Overview and Context

  • SNAP is Massachusetts’ largest anti-hunger program, serving over 1 million residents.
  • In FFY2024, Massachusetts’ PER rose to 14.1%, driven in part by COVID-era waivers and later federal policy shifts.
  • The 2025 federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) increases the federal share of SNAP administrative costs (from 25% to 50%) and, for the first time, ties state benefit costs to PER for FFY25/FFY26. States with PER above 6% could face escalating state cost-sharing (5% to 15% of benefits, depending on the PER). Massachusetts faces potential substantial cost increases if PER is not reduced.

Federal SNAP Changes Implemented by Massachusetts

  • Implemented by November 1, 2025, to comply with federally required changes, including:

    • Expanded Work Requirements: Adults 18–64 without dependents under 14 must work 80 hours/month or engage in a qualifying work activity, with few exceptions. Estimated ~99,000 households newly subject to these work requirements over one year.
    • Non-Citizen Eligibility: SNAP non-citizen eligibility restricted to Legal Permanent Residents, Cuban/Haitian Entrants, and COFA citizens. Ineligible members will be removed from mixed-status households; approximately 9,500 immigrants in MA may lose eligibility in the next year.
    • Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) Changes: HOHs with energy assistance and an elderly/disabled member remain automatically eligible for SUA; households without an eligible elderly/disabled member must verify utility expenses at application or recertification to qualify. Approximately 45,000 MA households could see benefit reductions if SUA criteria tighten.

  • Future cost implications:

    • FFY2027: Federal admin cost share rises from 50% to 75% (Massachusetts would incur more administrative costs).
    • FFY2028 onward: A benefit-cost share tied to each state’s PER could trigger up to $394 million in Massachusetts' SNAP benefit costs, plus ongoing administrative costs, with total potential impact up to $447 million.

Ongoing PER Reduction Strategy (DTA Initiatives)

To avoid higher cost shares and preserve SNAP access, DTA outlines data-driven strategies, including:

  • Recertification Interviews and Interim Reports: Reinstating interviews at recertification and verifying income at interim reports to improve accuracy.
  • Enhanced Verification (Self-Declarations): As of Feb 2026, expanded documentary verification requirements for income, identity, residency, non-citizen status, and key expenses; clients must supply documentary evidence when possible. SNAP Outreach Partners assist with documentation submission.
  • Staffing Increases: January 2026 hiring of 76 additional case workers to reduce caseloads and improve accuracy.
  • Dedicated Quality Assurance (QA) Team: A specialized QA unit focuses on high-risk cases to catch and correct errors before they appear in PER samples.
  • Targeted Staff Training: Expanded training on high-risk SNAP rules (income reporting, household changes, shelter expenses) to reduce agency-attributable errors.
  • Data-Driven Case Handling: Use of analytics to flag high-risk cases for proactive review and correction.
  • Technology Enhancements: Migration of eligibility systems to cloud platforms; improved workflows and system reliability for case managers.
  • Data Matching: Increased use of external data sources (e.g., wage data) to identify misreported factors and trigger follow-up.

Governance and Related Initiatives

  • Governor’s Anti-Hunger Task Force: Established to respond to federal SNAP cuts and changes, coordinate cross-sector efforts, and explore regional partnerships to mitigate hunger and stabilize food systems. The Task Force emphasizes data-driven reforms and collaboration across public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

Affected Parties

  • SNAP Applicants/Recipients in Massachusetts (including consideration of new work requirements and eligibility restrictions for non-citizens).
  • Households with changes in income, household composition, or shelter costs affected by verification and SUA rules.
  • Immigrant households potentially losing SNAP eligibility due to non-citizen eligibility changes.
  • Massachusetts’ state government and DTA administrative budget, given potential PER-linked cost shifts starting FFY2027 and beyond.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Federal changes implemented by November 1, 2025.
  • DTA’s PER reduction measures implemented through early 2026, with ongoing adjustments (e.g., Feb 2026 verification policy change).
  • Yearly PER calculations continue to determine federal/state cost shares; potential PER-linked cost exposures begin FFY2027 (admin costs) and FFY2028 onward (benefit costs).
  • This report was placed on file on May 14, 2026.

Bottom Line

The bill documents Massachusetts’ strategy to reduce SNAP PER in response to heightened federal cost-sharing and potential benefit-cost shifts. It emphasizes stricter verification, reinstated interviews, staffing enhancements, QA oversight, data analytics, and technology upgrades, alongside state-level actions (Governor’s Anti-Hunger Task Force) to cushion the impact of federal SNAP rule changes while maintaining safe and legal access to nutrition assistance.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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