ALBANY, N.Y. — As the federal government shutdown drags on, leading to cuts in SNAP benefits for nearly three million people in New York State, the State Attorney General’s Office has a warning about businesses that are unlawfully refusing to accept SNAP payments.
For SNAP recipients, all remaining funds on their cards are still valid. AG Letitia James said her office sent cease-and-desist letters to some grocery stores that have denied customers the ability to pay for food with SNAP. She is encouraging anyone who has had a similar experience to report it here.
In the six-county Rochester region, more than 135,000 people rely on SNAP, the nation’s largest food assistance program. That includes one in seven people in Monroe County. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has paused new SNAP payments since Nov. 1 because of the government shutdown. However, all SNAP-authorized businesses are still required to accept any remaining benefits…