New work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) took effect in additional states beginning Sunday, tightening eligibility rules and altering benefit calculations under legislation changes that are part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law last summer.
The policy change expands work obligations for SNAP, the nation’s largest federal nutrition assistance program. Adults ages 18 to 64 who do not have dependent children must now work, participate in approved job training programs, or volunteer for at least 80 hours each month to qualify for benefits. Individuals who fail to meet the requirement are limited to receiving SNAP assistance for no more than three months within a three-year period, reports Fox Business.
SNAP currently serves nearly 42 million people nationwide. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reports that more than 80% of SNAP households have gross incomes at or below the federal poverty line.
Under the new law, work requirements are being extended to groups that were previously exempt. This includes adults ages 55 to 64 and parents whose children are 14 years old or older. Federal guidance also states that exemptions have been eliminated for veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and adults ages 18 to 24 who were in foster care at the time they turned 18.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that the updated provisions will reduce SNAP enrollment by about 2.4 million people over the next decade. Roughly one-third of those affected are able-bodied adults ages 18 to 64 without dependent children, while approximately 300,000 are able-bodied adults in the same age range who live with children ages 14 or older.
In addition to expanding work requirements, the law makes broader adjustments to the SNAP program that are expected to affect benefit levels. According to the CBO, these include restrictions on future benefit increases and revisions to how certain household expenses are calculated when determining monthly assistance. Over time, those changes are expected to lead to smaller benefit amounts for many households, including some that remain eligible.
States that went into effect Sunday include Illinois and Ohio, but implementation timelines vary. Texas began enforcing its updated requirements in October, meaning some recipients there may have already used their full three-month benefit period. In Alaska, Hawaii, Colorado, and Georgia, the three-month clock began in November and is now expiring.
The law includes provisions allowing for flexibility in areas with high unemployment. Counties with jobless rates exceeding 10% may qualify for waivers, and Alaska and Hawaii are permitted to suspend work requirements if their unemployment rates reach 1.5 times the national average.