A new proposal in the Arizona Legislature is drawing strong criticism from Democratic lawmakers, who say it would remove health and food assistance from people who need them most.
House Bill 2940, called the Arizona Secure Benefits Integrity Act, would overhaul how the state manages two major safety‑net programs: Medicaid and SNAP. The bill would require state agencies to double‑check information about applicants, including income, address, immigration status, and even jail records, using multiple government databases before approving or renewing benefits.
Supporters say the goal is to reduce fraud and make the system more efficient. However, Arizona House Democrats argue the changes would end up punishing people who qualify for help by creating complicated paperwork and new technology systems that can lead to errors.
“This bill will kick people off of SNAP and take food away from kitchen tables in every corner of the state,” said Representative Oscar De Los Santos (D-AZ). “We’re in the middle of an affordability crisis. People are struggling with grocery costs—and this makes it worse.”
Representative Nancy Gutierrez (D-AZ) added to those concerns, saying many of the people who rely on these programs are “veterans. These are older Arizonans, perhaps. These are people with disabilities. Children.” She added, “Are we just wanting them to not eat? Right now, our communities need more help, not less.”
Rep. Gutierrez also warned the proposal would “fire state employees for a mistake” and called it “cruel.”
Representative Aaron Marquez (D-AZ) said the bill could “possibly violate the pension clause,” opening the state to costly lawsuits.
He noted that even the bill’s sponsor had earlier admitted that “the bill is not ready for primetime” because many of the changes it wants have already been made by state agencies.
Both Reps. De Los Santos and Marquez urged their colleagues to vote no. “This bill is the exact wrong move,” De Los Santos said.
Gutierrez concluded, “If lawmakers want to talk about waste, fraud, and abuse, they should look at the ESA program instead.”
As lawmakers weigh the details of House Bill 2940, how can Arizona ensure accountability in public programs while keeping assistance accessible to those who qualify?
