A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction order against the State as part of a lawsuit over food stamps.
According to the lawsuit, the State is failing to meet federal requirements for processing applications.
Under those requirements, the State must provide assistance within 30 days of receiving an application, and within seven days for applicants facing an emergency.
According to the lawsuit, the State was 70 per cent compliant in November.
The judge’s order requires the Department of Human Services to meet benchmarks of 80 per cent compliance by April, and full compliance by December 12.
In a statement released this afternoon, the State said an increased demand for assistance resulted in a backlog.
It’s also seen improvement thanks to a new processing system.
See the original article at: KHON2 Developing Stories
