State officials again refuse to release Kansans’ personal data to USDA
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Kansas officials stood firm against a July 30 deadline set by the federal government to turn over personal data of SNAP recipients.
This story was originally published by the Kansas Reflector.
TOPEKA — Kansas officials stood firm against a July 30 deadline set by the federal government to turn over the personal data of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients.
In a press release Wednesday afternoon, the Department for Children and Families said releasing the requested data could open DCF to liability, depending on the outcome of a lawsuit filed by multiple states.
This is the second time Kansas has refused to turn over data requested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The lawsuit, in which Kansas is not a party, asks the courts to stop the USDA from forcing states to turn over the data, the press release said.
The data includes sensitive personal information about Kansans who lived in households that applied for or received SNAP benefits from Jan. 1, 2020, to July 30, 2025. It includes Social Security numbers, dates of birth and addresses, as well as retailer and business data documenting SNAP usage, the press release said.
“The purpose of the USDA demand is to create a federal database of SNAP participant information that may be disclosed to other federal, state and local agencies,” the release said.
In a letter to Gina Brand, USDA senior policy advisor for integrity, Kansas DCF Secretary Laura Howard said the USDA’s plan to share the data with other agencies to investigate and prosecute violations of the law was part of the reason she would not turn over the data until the lawsuit is resolved.
“The suit argues that the demands for state-held SNAP data is contrary to statute and the Constitution,” Howard said. “Due to the pending litigation, we are forced to deny the USDA’s demand for data at this time. Doing the opposite will place KDCF in a position of potential liability in the event a court finds that the USDA’s demand violates federal law.”
In addition, Howard said the process to gather the requested data would require “significant” time, manpower and expense, and the short July 30 deadline was unreasonable.
“DCF is committed to the security of Kansans’ personal information and maintaining confidentiality consistent with state and federal law,” Howard said in the press release. “This demand for personal information goes beyond the scope of administering the program and puts in jeopardy the privacy of hundreds of thousands of Kansans who depend on SNAP to put food on their tables.”
Howard said DCF will monitor the pending litigation and may re-evaluate its position.
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