An Edinburg legislator filed legislation Friday that would limit the benefits recipients of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — known as food stamps — could carry over continually, days after the U.S. Department of Agriculture directed state agencies to conduct a review of high balance accounts. 

The USDA directive was apparently issued independently but State Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, began work on the legislation after local television news story on a single SNAP account with a balance of more than $7,000.

Canales’ bill would require that benefits not used 90 days after they are issued be expunged from an account and credited back to the original funding source.

“I think that ensures that there are funds available for the people that really need it,” he said.

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