FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Senate Republicans Tackle Waste, Fraud, Abuse in Welfare Programs
PHOENIX, ARIZONA—Senate Republicans are working to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars by advancing legislation addressing eligibility requirements and increasing oversight for both Arizona's unemployment insurance and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP).
With rising concerns over individuals wrongfully taking advantage of state and federal welfare programs, Senator John Kavanagh is sponsoring SB 1071, and Senator Mark Finchem is sponsoring SB 1296 to ensure these important government resources are only provided to the Arizona citizens who need them most. Both bills passed out of the Senate Committee on Regulatory Affairs & Government Efficiency today with all Democrats voting against the measures.
SNAP is a federal program that provides food benefits to low-income families to supplement their grocery budgets. SB 1071 increases oversight of SNAP by requiring monthly evaluations of eligibility requirements for participants. This includes verification of employment records, income amounts, and job search activity. The bill also allows the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) to use Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards to track any purchases made out-of-state over a 90-day period. This will help ensure that anyone who has moved out of state is no longer collecting these benefits from the State of Arizona.
"SNAP benefits should be reserved for those who are struggling to make ends meet and truly need assistance," said Senator Kavanagh. "Unfortunately, there are some bad actors who are fraudulently collecting these benefits, either by lying about their current living situations or their current employment status. SB 1071 is a commonsense measure to help protect the public purse and to ensure government is helping those in Arizona who need it most."
SB 1296 addresses abuse of the unemployment insurance system by requiring individuals to report weekly job searches. Specifically, the bill requires all claimants to conduct at least five job searches per week and report these activities to DES. This ensures able-bodied working adults are doing their part to find employment. To confirm legitimacy of benefit claims, SB 1296 allows DES to cross-check unemployment claims with other data to ensure individuals aren’t abusing the system.
"Unemployment benefits are meant to support those who are actively seeking work, but there are a number of individuals living off the backs of taxpayers who are in no rush to look for jobs to get themselves out of these situations," said Senator Finchem. "We are committed to supporting President Trump in his efforts to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse of government assistance programs, and SB 1296 is a step in the right direction."
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For more information, contact:
Kim Quintero
Director of Communications | Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus kquintero@azleg.gov
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