OH, SNAP: Forthcoming report could outline approach for Ohio to reduce SNAP payment error rates
The Trump administration has put states on notice: stop making so many mistakes, or pay up.
Beginning in fiscal year 2028, states with an error rate of higher than 6% will be required to pay a portion of federal programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. As the deadline to comply looms, Ohio appropriators should soon receive a report from the agency that handles SNAP payments, outlining an approach to reducing errors.
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services is expected to deliver quarterly updates on SNAP error rates to the chairpersons of the House Finance Committee and Senate Finance Committee, following the implementation of a new methodology required by Ohio law.
The provision, enacted last year through House Bill 434 and effective Nov. 25, 2025, mandates granular tracking of errors — distinguishing agency, recipient and system-related issues — to help reduce inaccuracies amid heightened federal scrutiny.
The pending report comes as Ohio faces potential financial consequences from the federal “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which shifts some SNAP costs to states with error rates above 6%. States exceeding the threshold must contribute a portion of benefit costs starting in federal fiscal year 2028, meaning that states will need to begin budgeting for the additional costs or find ways to reform the system before Oct. 2027.
Ohio’s most recent federal payment error rate, for fiscal year 2024, was 9.01% with a 7.67% rate of overpayments and a 1.34% rate of underpayments, according to USDA data released in June 2025.
Between November 2024 and November 2025, however, Ohio has seen a 77% jump in total SNAP payments while adding an additional 22,767 households to the program.
Previous projections estimated the state’s share at about $320 million, a slight increase from the $276,499,042 spent last November on the state’s 1.38 million recipients. One year later, the state is now paying $490,187,655 for its 1.45 million recipients, a significant 77% increase for one year.
If Ohio’s rate of error remains near 9%, the state could owe approximately $588 million annually in benefit cost-sharing — based on the latest projections from the Nov. SNAP report — plus additional administrative burdens from reduced federal matching starting in FY 2027.
More recent figures for fiscal 2025 have been cited around 9.13% in some analyses, but Ohio Republicans are not waiting to find out.
When lawmakers passed HB 434, Senate Republicans introduced an amendment, directing ODJFS to create a methodology to track error rates proactively — prioritizing system improvements and training.
According to the bill’s quarterly update timelines, the proposal for a state-level tracking system is due for review by the chairs of both Senate and House Finance Committees next week.
John Fortney, communications director for Senate Republicans, told Ohio.News that it’s a top priority for the caucus.
“Senate Republicans have for years made protecting SNAP Benefits for those who need it the most a priority,” Fortney said. “One case of fraud is one case too many and only takes benefits away from families and children who really need it.”
Ohio.News has also been in touch with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Directors’ Association, which represents the county-level directors who will implement the new guidance once approved. Experts say lowering the rate below 6% is feasible with targeted reforms, but the timeline is tight given federal lags in data and recent disruptions stemming from the Democrat-led government shutdown that disrupted SNAP operations nationwide.
