OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — A new executive order signed by Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt aims to increase transparency into the state's welfare programs.
The review will include programs managed by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services: the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Gov. Stitt hopes the review will fight fraud while supporting self-sufficiency.
“In Oklahoma, we know that there is no better social welfare program than a job,” said Governor Stitt. “We measure compassion by the number of individuals who no longer need welfare assistance because they have become self-reliant through meaningful employment. To that end, I’m instructing our agencies to take steps to reduce fraud and errors, seek federal flexibility, and design incentives that act as trampolines, not hammocks. I’m grateful to legislative leadership for their attention to this issue, and I look forward to discussions to make meaningful changes to these programs.”
Agencies will have 90 days to complete the audit, which will include error rates, fraud protocols, eligibility rules, and benefit cliffs. A benefit cliff is when a worker receives a small wage increase, therefore kicking them off any social services. This can negatively impact a worker's finances.
The order also requires agencies to provide job training and education to adults on welfare programs. Implementation plans are due in 180 days, and annual reports must be provided.
Hunger Free Oklahoma has issued a response to Gov. Stitt's executive order.
Hunger Free Oklahoma has consistently championed the efficient and fair administration of government programs that support long-term economic stability for Oklahomans. We support Governor Stitt’s calls for increased transparency, reduced bureaucracy, and thoughtful mitigation of benefit cliffs to improve program operations.
Helping families reach stability is a shared goal. But true compassion requires ensuring people can meet their basic needs while they work toward that stability. Hunger is not a motivator; it is a barrier. Families cannot pursue employment, education, or job training if they are worried about their next meal.
While Hunger Free Oklahoma is encouraged by some aspects of Governor Stitt’s recent Executive Order, we also have serious concerns.
Benefits programs are workforce supports, not deterrents.
Decades of evidence show programs like SNAP help people afford food while seeking work, maintaining employment, or increasing earnings. Most SNAP participants who can work already do, often cycling on and off assistance as circumstances change. Framing these programs as barriers to work undermines their proven role in promoting stability and economic participation.
State agencies need sufficient resources to meet their intended goals.
State agencies administering these programs do not lack authority, they lack capacity. Without adequate staffing and modern systems, additional administrative directives will not meaningfully improve outcomes for taxpayers or families. Efficiency and program integrity require investment, not flat budgets.
Block grants are not the answer.
Block grants replace responsive, need-based funding with a fixed pot of money, shifting risk to states and limiting the ability to adjust when costs rise or more families need help. Oklahoma families should not face hunger simply because federal support fails to keep pace with rising costs or economic shocks.
Hunger Free Oklahoma stands ready to work with policymakers and partners to advance solutions that are grounded in evidence and centered on dignity. This means addressing benefits cliffs in ways that truly encourage work and upward mobility, investing in the staffing and systems necessary for efficient and accountable program administration, and protecting access to programs that respond to economic realities. Together, we can ensure that public assistance policies strengthen family stability, workforce participation, and the shared goal of a stronger Oklahoma.
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