ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico will reportedly pay the federal government more than $19 million to settle a claim by the Department of Agriculture that the state mishandled the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and overpaid some needy families in 2014 and 2016.
The Albuquerque Journal reported Tuesday that the state has agreed to spend about $15.8 million over the next three years to strengthen administration of the SNAP program.
New Mexico’s Human Services Department also will pay the federal government about $3.6 million, bringing the total cost of the settlement to almost $19.4 million.
Human Services Secretary David Scrase told the Journal that the state Legislature has already authorized the funding necessary to cover the first year of the settlement.
