Stitt’s 2026 executive order directs audit, waiver requests, and new integrity measures across Oklahoma welfare programs
Executive order sets deadlines for multi-agency review of major assistance programs
Gov. Kevin Stitt on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, signed Executive Order 2026-02 directing a statewide review of Oklahoma’s welfare and public assistance programs, with an emphasis on eligibility accuracy, program integrity and policies intended to move recipients toward employment. The order applies to programs administered or overseen in coordination with the federal government, including SNAP food benefits, Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Women, Infants and Children (WIC).
The directive assigns primary responsibility to four agencies: the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, the Oklahoma State Department of Health and the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission. The order requires those agencies to jointly produce a written “Oklahoma Welfare to Work Report” for the governor and legislative leaders.
What agencies must deliver, and when
The executive order establishes a sequence of deadlines tied to specific deliverables.
Within 90 days: agencies must complete a comprehensive review to identify “benefit cliffs,” quantify administrative error rates, evaluate fraud detection protocols, and review eligibility prerequisites for accuracy and consistency with state law.
Within 120 days: agencies must identify federal statutory and regulatory provisions that allow waivers or alternative arrangements and submit waiver applications to appropriate federal agencies.
Within 180 days: agencies must submit an implementation plan summarizing corrective actions, progress on waiver requests and any proposed legislative changes.
Ongoing: annual progress updates must be presented to the governor and Legislature and posted publicly on agency websites within 180 days of the order and by Jan. 1 in subsequent years.
Program integrity: identity verification and data matching
Executive Order 2026-02 directs agencies to deploy identity verification systems and interagency data matching, subject to state and federal privacy protections. It also calls for standardized metrics and evaluation criteria across participating agencies, intended to support more consistent assessments of eligibility requirements, benefit determinations and program effectiveness.
Federal context: error rates and potential fiscal exposure
The order’s timing comes as states face heightened scrutiny over SNAP payment accuracy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported a national SNAP payment error rate of 10.93% for federal fiscal year 2024 and has required corrective action plans for states at or above a 6% threshold. Oklahoma’s SNAP payment error rate for FY 2024 has been reported at 10.87%, reflecting combined overpayments and underpayments tied to eligibility and benefit calculation accuracy rather than a direct measurement of fraud.
Executive Order 2026-02 states the administration’s goal is to reduce fraud and errors, address benefit cliffs and seek federal flexibility in program administration.
Work and training: coordination with workforce systems
The order instructs agencies, consistent with applicable laws, to direct eligible adult recipients toward employment, job readiness, education or training opportunities. It assigns the Employment Security Commission a coordinating role with workforce development partners and calls for pilot programs to test approaches aimed at reducing work disincentives associated with rising earnings.
While the executive order directs agency actions, implementation beyond administrative changes may depend on federal approvals for waivers and, where necessary, legislative action to revise state statutes or authorize new program structures.