Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach is pushing for a new bill that would require state agencies to share personal information of food assistance recipients with the federal government. This move comes in the wake of Democratic Governor Laura Kelly’s refusal to comply with requests for data on those enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The proposed legislation would force the Kansas Department for Children and Families to hand over sensitive information such as names, social security numbers, and addresses. Kobach argues that this is necessary to combat fraud, specifically to identify individuals who might not be eligible for benefits.
“It’s a straightforward request to ensure eligibility,” Kobach stated during a recent committee meeting. However, welfare advocates are concerned. They believe that sharing this information would create a fear of applying for assistance. Elizabeth Keever, from the food bank Harvesters, highlighted in her testimony that Kansas is already struggling with food insecurity. She cautioned that losing participants from SNAP could worsen the situation when charitable food sources aren’t enough to fill the gap.
Governor Kelly’s administration stands firm that sharing this data would violate the privacy of recipients. Kansas is among over 20 states challenging this federal request in court. Kelly’s office has raised alarms about potential misuse of the data, including the risk of it being shared with foreign governments.
The stakes are high. Currently, the federal government has threatened to cut $10.4 million in SNAP funding due to the ongoing dispute. While the state managed to temporarily halt these penalties through an appeal, Kobach warns that this will not last. He predicts that if the data is not provided, the penalties could escalate, jeopardizing essential funding for the program.
“This situation could reach a point where the state struggles to fully fund the SNAP cards,” Kobach remarked, indicating that vulnerable Kansans could end up with less support for buying food.
Recent surveys indicate that trust in public assistance programs is crucial for their effectiveness. According to a study by the Urban Institute, 70% of clients said they were discouraged from applying for benefits due to privacy concerns. This suggests that fears surrounding the sharing of personal information could indeed have a lasting negative impact on those in need.
As this debate unfolds, it raises bigger questions about government transparency and the balance between preventing fraud and protecting individual privacy. The outcome will not only affect current SNAP recipients but will also serve as a precedent for how states manage assistance programs moving forward.
For more on the implications of these data-sharing laws, you can check out the USDA’s guidelines and policies here.
