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Alaska health officials outline SNAP changes under HR 1, cite 24% error rate and limited backfill options
Summary
State health officials told the House Health & Social Services Committee that HR 1 expands SNAP work requirements, shifts administrative cost-sharing toward states, and introduces payment‑accuracy penalties. Alaska reported a current SNAP error rate just over 24% and limited short‑term options to backfill withheld federal benefits.
Anchorage — Department of Health officials briefed the House Health and Social Services Committee on Oct. 29 on how provisions in HR 1 will change Alaska’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), including work requirements, penalty timing and administrative costs.
Debra Etheridge, director of the Division of Public Assistance, told the committee Alaska plans to implement new work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents and that the federal law expands the age range to roughly 18–64. Etheridge said HR 1 “removes existing exemptions for homeless individuals, veterans, and former foster care youth, but adds a new exemption for Alaska Native and American Indian individuals” while keeping longstanding exemptions for people with disabling conditions and most pregnant people.
Etheridge also described a new federal penalty for states with high SNAP payment error rates beginning in federal fiscal year 2028 and said Alaska will apply for a delayed start (to FY2029 or FY2030) while the state improves accuracy. “Through our SNAP quality improvement investment plan, we’re strengthening our training, oversight, and automation,” she said, noting the department trained 100% of eligibility technicians on income calculation and quality improvements.
On current accuracy, Etheridge said Alaska’s error rate is “just over 24% in our error rate, down from 56%.” The department identified the main sources of error as miscalculation of household composition and income, and described initiatives—training, system modernization and an investment plan—to reduce errors below the 6% threshold that would avoid penalty payments.
Officials also warned of a change in administrative cost‑sharing: the federal share would fall from 50% to 25% beginning in FY2027, increasing the state’s share to about 75% of SNAP administrative costs. Commissioner Heidi Hedberg said the Department of Health is working with the governor’s office and OMB to estimate fiscal impacts, which will vary by caseload.
Committee members pressed finance officials about contingency plans after a federal withholding of roughly $29 million was reported for early November. Legislative Finance Director Painter said options are limited: the state’s disaster relief fund is depleted from prior disasters, and there is no standing appropriation to backfill federal SNAP benefits. Painter said a special legislative session could authorize an appropriation but warned it would take time to convene and would be legally necessary before spending general funds.
The department said it intends to seek a good‑faith waiver to phase in work requirements in areas where labor markets or geography create access barriers and that milestones for eligibility‑system modernization are publicly posted. Etheridge summarized the SNAP modernization milestones and said the SNAP module migration remains a priority to reduce manual processes.
The committee did not take formal action; members said they will continue oversight as the department develops cost estimates and waiver requests.
The Department of Health provided the committee with public milestone documents and posted updates about SNAP modernization on its website. The committee adjourned at 3:05 p.m.
