It’s a no-brainer somebody in the Massachusetts government should look at out-of-state welfare spending.

The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) told the Herald Tuesday they have no updates on the matter: “Not at this time,” the agency said.

Well, not everyone agrees.

We fully support the Republican state senators who are pushing Beacon Hill to investigate EBT expenditures from Hawaii to Alaska. The Herald’s two-part probe of welfare money leaving the state raises so many red flags that an investigation seems warranted. In fact, overdue.

But, sadly, we’re talking about taxpayer money and the urgency is lacking. That shouldn’t be the case.

State Sen. Ryan Fattman has been joined by GOP colleagues Bruce Tarr, Peter Durant and Patrick O’Connor in seeking an EBT probe by the Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight.

“The sheer volume of out-of-state transactions and withdrawals, particularly in states like Hawaii over 5,000 miles from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, by EBT cardholders warrants an investigation into DTA’s oversight of the program that disbursed $3 billion in state and federal assistance in FY’24,” the letter shared with the Herald reads.

We fully embrace the spirit of welfare programs to feed and protect those who need a helping hand. But trips to Hawaii?

Fattman, a Sutton Republican and ranking party member of the Post Audit and Oversight Committee, said Monday hard times are ahead for budget writers and EBT spending is one area that could bring money back to Massachusetts.

“There needs to be more transparency,” he said. “The state government seems to be just blinking and doing nothing with tough budget times ahead.”

The state Legislature and the federal government must adjust their thinking. Every dollar spent is taken out of the pockets of taxpayers. There’s no excuse for treating it all like easy-come-easy-go Monopoly money.

Today’s assignment is EBT cash.

Dipping into welfare cash to bankroll trips outside of Massachusetts raises too many red flags.

Data obtained by the Herald through a public records request shows taxpayer-paid “economic assistance” for Massachusetts residents cropped up from Alabama to Arizona, Pennsylvania to Puerto Rico, Utah to Wyoming and all the New England states.

It’s all part of the $3 billion — $3,050,090,786, to be exact — federal and state dollars given out in Fiscal Year 2024, which ended in July. Many worry that the migrant crisis will only exacerbate this staggering bill.

The Department of Transitional Assistance data reveals that the single largest expenditure out of 32 in Hawaii was $378 in March of this year in Kahului on the island of Maui.

Another $351 was spent in Hilo, a region on the big island of Hawaii blessed with “dramatic waterfalls, fertile rainforests and blooming gardens,” in January. EBT money was also used in Honolulu, Pearl City, Princeville, Waikoloa, and Captain Cook according to the EBT data-entry list.

Princeville is known for “master-planned homes and condos on the north shore of the island of Kauai,” according to websites.

When is this all going to end? The GOP senators are asking legitimate questions and the Democrats need to get behind this fiscal conservative mode — for the taxpayers!