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HB1318 • 2026

Department of Human Services - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - Error Reduction

Department of Human Services - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - Error Reduction

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Delegates Wivell , Arentz , Beauchamp , Buckel , Hornberger , Howard , Hutchinson , McComas , Miller , T. Morgan , Reilly , Schmidt , and Tomlinson
Last action
2026-02-17
Official status
In the House - Hearing 3/10 at 1:00 p.m.
Effective date
2026-10-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Department of Human Services - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - Error Reduction

Requiring the Department of Human Services to develop a certain process to address Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program administrative errors.

What This Bill Does

  • Requiring the Department of Human Services to develop a certain process to address Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program administrative errors.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-17 House

    Hearing 3/10 at 1:00 p.m.

  2. 2026-02-12 House

    First Reading Appropriations

  3. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - First - Department of Human Services - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - Error Reduction

Official Summary Text

Requiring the Department of Human Services to develop a certain process to address Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program administrative errors.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1318*

HOUSE BILL 1318
O1 6lr3048

By: Delegates Wivell, Arentz, Beauchamp, Buckel, Hornberger, Howard,
Hutchinson, McComas, Miller, T. Morgan, Reilly, Schmidt, and Tomlinson
Introduced and read first time: February 12, 2026
Assigned to: Appropriations

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Department of Human Services – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – 2
Error Reduction 3

FOR the purpose of requiring the Department of Human Services to develop a certain 4
process to address Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program administrative 5
errors; and generally relating to the administration of the Supplemental Nutrition 6
Assistance Program. 7

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Human Services 9
Section 5–501 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14

Article – Human Services 15

5–501. 16

(a) (1) The Department may implement a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 17
Program in accordance with the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. 18

(2) The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program shall include: 19

(i) a Restaurant Meals Program in accordance with § 5 –505 of this 20
subtitle; and 21

(ii) a Heat and Eat Program in accordance with § 5 –506 of this 22
2 HOUSE BILL 1318

subtitle. 1

(b) The State shall bear the nonfederal portion of the administrative costs of the 2
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for each county. 3

(c) Each local department shall administer the Supplemental Nutrition 4
Assistance Program: 5

(1) under the supervision and control of the Department; and 6

(2) in accordance with the regulations of the Department and federal law. 7

(d) If a household includes an individual who is at least 60 years old and receives 8
a federally funded benefit in an amount less than $50 per month under the Supplemental 9
Nutrition Assistance Program, the State shall provide a supplement to increase the total 10
benefit to $50 per month. 11

(E) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL: 12

(1) DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE PROCESS TO: 13

(I) SYSTEMATICALLY ANALY ZE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION 14
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATIVE ERRORS; 15

(II) FORMULATE STRATEGIES , INCLUDING IMPROVEMEN TS IN 16
THE ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION PROCESS, TO REDUCE ADMINISTRATIVE ERRORS; 17
AND 18

(III) MONITOR IMPLEMENTATI ON OF THE STRATEGIES 19
DEVELOPED UNDER THIS SUBSECTION; AND 20

(2) WORK TOWARD ACHIEVIN G ERROR RATES EQUAL TO THE LEVEL 21
ACHIEVED BY THE BEST PER FORMING STATE IN THE UNITED STATES, AS 22
DETERMINED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 23

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 24
October 1, 2026. 25