Illinois Faces Costly SNAP Penalties, Senate Republicans Call for Transparency
Republican lawmakers are calling for increased transparency after recent reports have emerged showing Illinois could owe the federal government over $700 million annually due to high error rates in its administration of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
SNAP provides food benefits to low-income families to help supplement their grocery budgets. However, Illinois has recently been found to have one of the highest error rates in the country, currently ranking worse than 38 other states in payment accuracy.
Federal law now requires states with error rates above 10 percent to repay 15 percent of total SNAP benefits. Illinois’ rate hit 11.56 percent in fiscal year 2024, one of the highest in the nation, according to USDA data.
We need increased transparency and urging the Administration to take immediate action to fix the errors and stop the fraud and abuse in the SNAP program.
Chesney Office to Hold Traveling Office Hours Across 45th District
My highly trained constituent services staff is very skilled at helping residents cut through the red tape of government bureaucracy and helping resolve issues involving state agencies or departments. Because the 45th District is geographically quite large, my staff is bringing the services provided by the office to communities across Northwest Illinois.
My staff can provide assistance with unemployment issues, FOID and Concealed Carry delays, professional licensure issues, and more. If you are having an issue that involves a state agency or department, please mark your calendar and stop by the event closest to you:
- Thursday, August 21: Genoa City Hall, 333 East 1st Street, Genoa, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Thursday, August 28: South Beloit City Hall, 519 Blackhawk Blvd, South Beloit, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
- Thursday, August 28: Machesney Park Village Hall, 300 Roosevelt Road, Machesney Park, 12:00 Noon – 2:00 PM
- Thursday, September 4: Rockton Village Hall, 110 East Main Street, Rockton, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Thursday, September 4: Roscoe Village Hall, 10631 Main Street, Roscoe, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Please note that these events are specifically related to constituent services, so I will not be in attendance. However, my very capable staff will be available at each venue to provide help to constituents who stop by.
Senator Chesney Offers FREE Museum Pass
Did you know my office offers a FREE museum pass card for up to four people to visit several of Chicagoland’s world-class museums and zoos? This offer is available to residents of the 45th Senate District. From the Art Institute, to the Field Museum, to Brookfield Zoo, and the Shedd Aquarium and more, this Museum Pass Card is available on a first come first served basis.
The museum pass allows up to four people to gain free entrance to any of the following:
- Adler Planetarium
- The Art Institute of Chicago
- Brookfield Zoo
- Chicago Botanic Garden
- Chicago Children’s Museum
- Chicago History Museum
- Dusable Museum of African American History
- The Field Museum
- Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center
- Lincoln Park Zoo
- Museum of Contemporary Art
- Museum of Science and Industry
- National Museum of Mexican Art
- National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture
- Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
- John G. Shedd Aquarium
To reserve the pass, please call my office at (815) 232-0774. The pass is non-transferable and must be used on the date reserved.
