New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee Review: Financial Impact Of Hatten-Gonzales Lawsuit (Related To Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefits)

This memorandum was released on April 13, 2016, by the New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee (LFC). The LFC reviewed the financial impact of the 1990 Hatten-Gonzales consent degree, which requires the state to process applications and renewals for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and Medicaid benefits within a specific time period, and extend benefits to the applicants if the timeline is not met until such a time that the state fully processes the application. The LFC review estimated that since 2014 the consent decree has raised state expenditures by $5.4 million in total, with $2.4 million . . .