Rep. Boyd questions Attorney General Yost on future of SNAP eligibility in Ohio

COLUMBUS- Today, State Rep. Janine Boyd (D-Cleveland Heights) sent Attorney General Dave Yost a letter questioning why Ohio did not sign on to a States Attorney Generals’ letter to George Ervin Perdue III, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), urging Secretary Perdue to immediately suspend the rulemaking process for the Proposed Rule entitled, Revision of Categorical Eligibility in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

This proposal would limit categorical eligibility, a policy in which households may become eligible for SNAP because they qualify for a non-cash Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or state maintenance of effort (MOE) funded benefit. Categorical eligibility eases administrative burden and helps individuals receive benefits quicker.

“The White House continues to demonstrate how very far removed it is from the daily struggles of Americans, even during a pandemic.

We know that more and more Ohioans are struggling to acquire and sustain basic needs. Food and nutrition remain among the most vital and also too often the most difficult to satisfy. At least 22 other states recognize this, and penned a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture urging the Secretary of Agriculture to immediately suspend the rulemaking process for the Proposed Rule entitled, Revision of Categorical Eligibility in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Ohio was not among those 22 states.

It is imperative that Ohio’s leadership be the voice of our citizens in our work with federal agencies,” said Boyd.

The USDA’s own projections state that the Proposed Rule would cause1.7 million households, containing 3.1 million individuals, in FY 20 to lose vital nutrition assistance benefits. The Rule also could result in 265,000 children losing their free lunches. Additionally, a USDA Civil Rights Impact Analysis has determined that there is a potential civil rights impact if the proposed action is implemented because more elderly individuals may not otherwise meet the SNAP eligibility requirements.

Rep. Boyd questions Attorney General Yost on future of SNAP eligibility in Ohio (PDF)