SNAP Fraud Reporting Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- S. 4716
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Agriculture and Food
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-09: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-17T19:54:04Z
AI-Generated Summary
SNAP Fraud Reporting Act of 2026 (S. 4716)
Purpose
This legislation amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to require states to submit detailed data on fraud in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to improve tracking, enforcement, and public reporting of fraudulent activities.
Key Provisions
- Initial Data Submission: Within 180 days of enactment, each state must provide the Secretary of Agriculture with fraud data from the five most recent fiscal years for which information is available.
- Required Data Elements: Submissions must include:
- Number of open fraud investigation cases.
- Total fraud cases identified (including substantiated cases like card skimming or cloning) and associated dollar amounts.
- Number and types of enforcement actions taken, along with recovery amounts.
- For fiscal years after enactment: Data on individuals disqualified for using benefits of deceased persons (including dollar amounts) and on individuals disqualified for submitting invalid, falsified, recycled, stolen, or purchased Social Security numbers (including dollar amounts).
- Ongoing Submissions: Starting after October 1, 2028, states must submit updated data annually within 60 days after the end of each fiscal year.
- Penalty for Non-Compliance: The Secretary may withhold administrative funds from non-compliant states under existing authority in Section 16 of the Act until data is provided.
- Federal Reporting: The Secretary must compile state data into reports for Congress and make them publicly available, with an initial report due within 180 days of receiving initial submissions and annual reports thereafter.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Adds a new subsection (y) to Section 11 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2020), establishing mandatory fraud data reporting requirements that did not previously exist at the federal level in this form.
- Introduces specific penalties tied to data submission, expanding on existing mechanisms for state accountability in program administration.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases administrative workload for state SNAP agencies to compile and submit historical and ongoing fraud data; requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to process, analyze, and publicly report on the information.
- Citizens: Enhances transparency around SNAP fraud, potentially supporting more effective use of program funds without directly altering eligibility or benefits for recipients.
- International Relations: No direct impacts identified.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- State governments and their SNAP administering agencies.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (Food and Nutrition Service).
- Congress, as recipient of annual reports.
- SNAP participants and program integrity efforts (indirectly through improved fraud detection).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Strengthens federal oversight of state-administered programs through data mandates and funding withholding, consistent with existing cooperative federalism structures in nutrition assistance laws.
- Raises no apparent constitutional concerns, as it focuses on reporting requirements rather than altering substantive rights or program eligibility.
- Promotes greater accountability and data-driven policy on fraud prevention within a major federal entitlement program.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-09: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 2026-06-09: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- SNAP Fraud Reporting Act of 2026 — issued 2026-06-09 — PDF (4 pages)