TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Florida’s new budget includes millions to help catch people who may try to illegally get SNAP benefits.
The state is planning to invest $4 million in an AI detection system to confirm users’ eligibility for SNAP. The federal government requires states to maintain an error rate below 6% to avoid paying SNAP benefit costs the following year.
Lawmakers maintained that this is a needed long-term investment.
State Sen. Jay Trumbull (R-Panama City) said it’s an important measure.
“I think it’s important that the feds don’t just come in and say April 2027, it looks like you’re good. It’s going to be a blended model over multiple months. So I think making sure that we get everything under control today is really important as we move forward,” Trumbull said.
Florida Politics:
However, researchers at the Florida Policy Institute say an overreliance on this technology may not be a one size fits all for Florida families.
Cindy Huddleston of the Florida Policy Institute said people who use SNAP benefits will now face challenges.
“If you are someone who has barriers or specific challenges in your life and you need to talk to someone face to face or person to person. You’ll have a hard time doing that often under the system that Florida has now,” Huddleston said.
The budget does not list a vendor that would produce the service. Gov. DeSantis has not signed the budget or vetoed any items yet.
To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Nextdoor and X (Twitter).
Have a news tip or see an error? Write to us here. Please include the article’s headline in your message.
Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here to get started.
Copyright 2026 WCTV. All rights reserved.
Leave a Reply