Oklahoma Faces $250M Penalty for High SNAP Error Rates

State lawmakers call for urgency in addressing SNAP eligibility issues that could cost taxpayers hundreds of millions

Published on Feb. 4, 2026

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Oklahoma lawmakers are sounding the alarm over the state's high error rates in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which could result in the state having to pay over $250 million annually in penalties. The Big Beautiful Bill passed federally requires states to keep SNAP error rates below 6%, but Oklahoma's rate is nearly 11%. The Department of Human Services is working to address the problem, but time is running out before the penalties kick in later this year.

Why it matters

The high SNAP error rates in Oklahoma highlight challenges in administering the critical food assistance program, which serves around 700,000 Oklahomans, half of whom are children. The potential $250 million in annual penalties would be a significant burden on state taxpayers at a time when budgets are already tight.

The details

Oklahoma has one of the highest SNAP error rates in the nation, with nearly 11% of beneficiaries either receiving too much or too little in benefits. The Big Beautiful Bill passed by Congress requires states to keep error rates below 6%, or face penalties. Oklahoma could be on the hook for hundreds of millions in payments if it can't get the error rate down before October 2023. The Department of Human Services says it is working to improve technology and training to reduce the error rate, but state auditor Cyndi Byrd says the agency needs to request an audit from her office to fully address the problem.

  • Oklahoma's SNAP error rate has been around 10% for the last couple of years.
  • The last time Oklahoma's SNAP error rate was below 6% was in 2017.
  • The Big Beautiful Bill requires Oklahoma to get its SNAP error rate below 6% by October 2023 or face penalties.

The players

Jeffrey Cartmell

Director of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.

Cyndi Byrd

Oklahoma State Auditor who is running for Lieutenant Governor.

Carri Hicks

Democratic state senator from Oklahoma City.

Paul Rosino

Republican state senator.

Kevin Stitt

Governor of Oklahoma.

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What they’re saying

“We can't afford this.”

— Paul Rosino, State Senator (KFOR)

“This needs to be fixed.”

— Cyndi Byrd, State Auditor (KFOR)

“Every time you drop two percentage points, you can basically shave off roughly $80 million from that total.”

— Jeffrey Cartmell, Director, Oklahoma Department of Human Services (KFOR)

What’s next

The Oklahoma Department of Human Services must get the state's SNAP error rate below 6% by October 2023 to avoid hundreds of millions in penalties.

The takeaway

Oklahoma's high SNAP error rate, one of the highest in the nation, could cost the state over $250 million annually in penalties if not addressed quickly. This highlights the challenges in administering critical food assistance programs and the need for the state to prioritize improving eligibility determinations to protect taxpayer dollars.