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Supervisors vote to pursue legal options after USDA demand for SNAP applicant data
Summary
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Sept. 9 to explore legal remedies and potentially join California's lawsuit after the U.S. Department of Agriculture requested five years of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program application records, a move county officials said risks deterring eligible residents from enrolling.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 Sept. 9 to direct county counsel and staff to explore legal remedies and to coordinate with the state after the U.S. Department of Agriculture requested five years of SNAP (CalFresh) applicant records.
Why it matters: USDA's request for names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, mailing addresses and shopping history, county officials said, could have a chilling effect on mixed-status households and other eligible residents and reduce program participation. California Attorney General Rob Bonta and 21 other states have filed a lawsuit challenging the USDA demand; county supervisors said Los Angeles should consider joining that legal challenge or otherwise protect residents.
At the meeting, Supervisor Hilda Solis said the USDA demand forces states and counties to choose between providing nutrition assistance and protecting applicant privacy. "This is forcing states and our…
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