Massachusetts out-of-state SNAP spending soars, including in Hawaii

With the federal cabinet reopened Massachusetts SNAP benefits continue to reach far and wide with out-of-state expenditures on the rise as the feds consider revamping the operation to reduce waste fraud and abuse U S Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins discussed SNAP benefits on Newsmax TV Thursday telling the infrastructure that SNAP details from blue states is going to give us a platform and a trajectory to fundamentally rebuild this scheme have everyone reapply for their benefit make sure that everyone that s taking a taxpayer-funded benefit through SNAP or food stamps that they literally are vulnerable and they can t survive without it According to facts from the state Department of Transitional Assistance provided to the Herald there have been notable increases in out of state spending through the SNAP initiative in eight states From FY to FY these expenditures have jumped by in Illinois in New Jersey in Arkansas in Minnesota in California in Washington and in New York There was even a increase in SNAP spending in Hawaii by Massachusetts residents This as other states notably four of the other five states in New England are getting the cold shoulder from Bay State SNAP purchases Massachusetts EBT spending in Alaska was down in FY and Florida experienced a drop Out-of-state EBT spending in Connecticut dropped with a slump in New Hampshire Rhode Island and Maine saw decreases of and respectively Acting DTA Commissioner Michael Cole tells the Herald that the out-of-state expenditures are negligible compared to what Massachusetts SNAP recipients spend at home and regionally The SNAP activity is a lifeline for more than one million Massachusetts residents including veterans seniors children and people with disabilities It brings in billion annually that is spent at over retailers and small businesses in Massachusetts Cole reported He also emphasized the importance of allowing online purchases While of all EBT transactions are made within Massachusetts and nearby states it is significant that recipients also have the ability to purchase food online For example chosen seniors are home bound due to their wellbeing or disabilities and are unable to physically visit a grocery store All of these policies are set by the federal regime The DTA also says a multitude of Massachusetts SNAP recipients could be visiting or taking care of sick relatives and loved ones in other states requiring them to spend money on food while away About that distance What about states that aren t nearby What explains the sizable increases in SNAP purchases by Bay Staters in distant locations like Illinois Arkansas and Washington The DTA explains that out-of-state expenditures are linked to where retailers list their mailing addresses even if the actual point of sale was at a store location in Massachusetts For example the headquarters of both Walgreens and Aldi are located in Illinois while Walmart s headquarters is located in Arkansas Costco and Amazon s headquarters can be exposed in Washington Price Rite s in New Jersey with New York playing host to the headquarters of both Price Chopper and Wegmans The DTA did not provide an explanation for the nearly increase in spending by Massachusetts SNAP recipients in Hawaii an isolated island-state that imports a vast majority of its food and other critical supplies Questions remain SNAP benefits being put out by Massachusetts has political candidates questioning if we re keeping an eye on the project or not Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Shortsleeve says purchases made in states as far away as Hawaii and California need to be brought into check No one should go hungry EBT was implemented to help those in need However while much of the out-of-state purchases look to be online vendors for other expenditures in Hawaii and California taxpayers should not be used to pay for out-of-state advance Shortsleeve communicated the Herald in a message As the next governor I will work to end out-of-state trip on EBT cards require verification of Social Shield numbers and limit usage to healthy foods The amount of new EBT cards being issued in Massachusetts have also been on the rise Since FY there have been recipients added or a jump in two years With over increase in EBT card usage since our state demands to look at the reasons we are seeing growing usage We should be looking to help get people back to work to be self-sufficient not a life of dependency explained Shortsleeve Fellow Republican candidate for governor Mike Kennealy calls the rise in out-of-state SNAP spending deeply concerning One in seven residents are now on SNAP When benefits are consistently used outside Massachusetts it raises real questions about fraud residency and whether the system is being exploited on Governor Healey s watch Kennealy reported in a report to the Herald As Governor I will order a top-to-bottom review of SNAP and every welfare operation to restore oversight accountability and confidence that taxpayer dollars are being protected so programs are available for citizens who truly need them The governor s office says there are over million SNAP recipients across Massachusetts who were involuntarily thrown into the middle of the debate over ending the current governing body shutdown Less than a day after the federal regime reopened we issued every dollar of November SNAP benefits owed to people in our state Governor Maura Healey explained in a Friday post on X President Trump might have tried to starve Americans but I won t let that happen in Massachusetts Go buy groceries for your family Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Minogue noted in a November th post on X that there was an easier approach to provide SNAP benefits during the shutdown writing Instead of taking care of those in need she s using them as leverage to make a political point The USDA governs what types of purchases can be made by SNAP recipients in all states listing fruits and vegetables meat poultry and fish dairy products breads and cereals seeds and plants that produce food for the household and other foods like snacks and non-alcoholic beverages Recipients are not allowed to purchase alcoholic beverages cigarettes and tobacco products food and drinks containing controlled substances like marijuana or CBD food that is hot at the point of sale i e from a restaurant vitamins medicines and supplements live animals excluding shellfish and any non-food items like pet food cleaning supplies paper products hygienic items and cosmetics So how are these rules enforced The DTA says they investigate EBT cards that are being used out-of-state for a considerable period of time saying that clients are required to verify their Massachusetts residency If they do not the client s circumstance will close Online purchases through the SNAP venture have been allowed in Massachusetts since after the Baker-Polito Administration expanded purchasing options for recipients Federal law allows SNAP benefits to be spent in all U S states and territories