Kansas governor files response over SNAP data
Gov. Laura Kelly announced Jan. 12 the Kansas Department for Children and Families has filed a reply to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Appeals Board in response to the USDA’s demand that DCF turn over the private, legally protected, personal information of all Kansans and members of their households who have received, or applied for, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in the last five years.
The USDA’s data request includes provisions allowing for Kansans’ personal information—which includes Social Security numbers and dates of birth—to be shared with foreign governments.
“There’s no reason that Kansans’ personal, private data, including Social Security numbers, should be turned over to foreign governments,” said Will Lawrence, Gov. Kelly’s chief of staff. “This demand is the epitome of federal government overreach, and a federal district court has already deemed this request to be likely unlawful. Gov. Kelly and DCF remain steadfast in their commitment to safeguarding Kansans’ privacy and complying with the law.”
After the USDA rejected DCF’s Corrective Action Proposal in response to the data request in September 2025, DCF swiftly filed an appeal with the USDA. The filing of that appeal immediately prevented the USDA from withholding $10.4 million in administrative funding for SNAP. The state has not lost any SNAP administrative funding, and the program continues to operate as usual. Kansas’ appeal with the USDA is ongoing.
DCF has complied with state and federal law at every stage of this process and has maintained the confidentiality of thousands of Kansans whose personal information would be at risk, the state’s news release said. Protection of this personally identifiable information is legally required by both the Food Nutrition Act and the Kansas Cybersecurity Act.
