Senator Kristen Thompson, has advanced Senate Bill 1833, legislation aimed at strengthening the integrity of Oklahoma’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by promoting healthier food purchases and reducing waste, fraud and abuse.

SB 1833 would prohibit SNAP benefits from being used to purchase candy, soda and other foods with no inherent nutritional value, while establishing additional oversight to help reduce SNAP payment error rate.

The error rate measures the accuracy of eligibility determinations and benefit payments. Oklahoma’s error rate currently stands at 10.9%, one of the highest rates in the nation.

Under federal guidelines, states are required to maintain an error rate of no more than 6%. Failure to do so could result in significant financial penalties. Failure to reduce the rate could cost the state millions in penalties if not lowered.

“This is legislation to ensure individuals who need SNAP assistance are using it to buy clean, healthy foods and not for fraudulent activity,” Senator Thompson said. “Programs like SNAP should be utilized as an avenue for temporary assistance, not a paycheck. We must be good stewards of taxpayer dollars, while cutting down on fraud, waste and abuse.”

Under a new federal cost-sharing requirement taking effect in 2028, Oklahoma could be required to cover a portion of SNAP benefit costs if the state’s payment error rate remains too high. Those penalties could exceed $225 million annually without meaningful reforms.

The bill requires the DHS to seek a federal waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service and to implement the program within six months of receiving federal approval. The measure also requires DHS to submit an annual report to legislative leaders and the governor detailing approval status, SNAP spending patterns and implementation challenges.