In 2016 and 2017, Alabama’s Department of Human Resources began the implementation of a federal law regarding work requirement for food stamp recipients. In their implementation of the law, the Department provided very complicated notices which did not present adequate information to individuals receiving food stamps leading to tens of thousands of people being terminated from the program. After almost two years without relief, Legal Services of Alabama, a 2018 Grantee, with the support provided by the McDowell Foundation, filed suit against the Department on November 30, 2017.
In response to suit the Department filed a Motion to Dismiss to which Legal Services of Alabama responded in January of 2018. Although the trial court reviewed the motion, it decided to withhold a full hearing or decision on the matter pending settlement negotiations. A settlement conference is currently planned between the parties in early July which Legal Services of Alabama believes will result in changes to policies that will lead to many people being reinstated and policies being changed for future applicants. (May 2018)