With Washington shifting more of the bill to local governments, Rep. Jordan Lopez is pushing a plan to pour $85 million in recurring state dollars into North Carolina’s SNAP system so it does not buckle under new federal rules. His proposal would steer $69 million to county social services offices and $16 million to the state health department, replacing federal administrative funding that is on the chopping block. Lopez says the goal is simple: avoid delays and service cuts that could slow families’ access to food assistance across North Carolina, including in his east Charlotte district.
What HB 1071 would do
House Bill 1071, filed April 29, 2026, would appropriate $16 million to the Department of Health and Human Services and $69 million to the Division of Social Services to make up for lost federal SNAP administrative receipts. According to the bill text at the North Carolina General Assembly, the Division would send money to counties in proportion to each county’s loss, and the funding would be recurring starting in the 2026 to 2027 fiscal year.
Why the federal change matters
A federal reconciliation law passed in 2025 cuts the federal share of SNAP administrative reimbursements from 50 percent to 25 percent beginning in fiscal year 2027, which starts October 1, 2026. That change forces states and counties to shoulder a far larger share of caseworker salaries, technology systems and other overhead, according to the statute posted on Congress.gov. The same law links future SNAP benefit cost sharing to each state’s payment error rate beginning in October 2027, raising the stakes if heavier caseloads cause mistakes to climb.
Counties face a steep new tab
The NC Budget & Tax Center estimates that counties together could face about $191 million in SNAP administrative costs in fiscal year 2027, including roughly $69 million in new expenses triggered by the federal shift. Halifax County alone could see about $8.4 million in administrative charges, more than 10 percent of its general fund, according to the NC Budget & Tax Center. The group warns that smaller and poorer counties may end up delaying projects or cutting other local services if the state does not step in.
Schools and children are on the line
Nearly 1.4 million North Carolinians receive SNAP benefits each month, including about 600,000 children, as reported by Cardinal & Pine. More than 850,000 students rely on school meal programs that are tied to SNAP direct certification, and that link, which helps schools qualify for the Community Eligibility Provision, is at risk if SNAP participation falls, according to the Food Research & Action Center. Tamara Baker of the Carolina Hunger Initiative has warned that when benefits are lost or restricted, “children fall through the cracks,” a concern that has been echoed in local education coverage.
Local reaction and outlook
County social services offices are already retraining staff, asking for additional positions and planning outreach so they can keep cases moving under the new rules. Wealthier counties say they can absorb at least part of the hit, while rural counties warn they may struggle to recruit and retain enough caseworkers.
Lopez is pitching HB 1071 as a statewide fix, not just a Charlotte issue. “Food insecurity is not localized to one county or one city,” he said, adding that he plans to refile the bill and keep pushing for state support, as reported by Cardinal & Pine.
The bill has been filed and sent to the House Rules, Calendar and Operations committee, and its future is uncertain while state budget talks play out, according to the bill page at the North Carolina General Assembly. Advocates say the question of whether the state will replace the lost federal dollars is likely to land back in the center of budget negotiations before the October implementation deadlines hit.
