Earlier this week, the first of the big changes to SNAP authorized by the “big beautiful bill” took effect.
And no, I’m not talking about banning junk food.
(Those changes take effect in 2026 and only affect a dozen states so far – here’s the full list.)
More specifically, SNAP now requires every able-bodied adult aged 18-54 without dependent children under 18 to report 20 hours per week of work, training, or volunteering.
States no longer have flexibility in how they implement the law (previously they could apply for waivers if, for example, there just weren’t enough unfilled jobs available locally), and the reporting requirements have gotten a lot stricter too.
The problem, of course, is that adults on SNAP often live in households with other adults and children (an estimated 800,000 children) – who could see their food cut because one adult didn’t meet the work requirement.
And in November, the requirements will get even more stringent – people as old as 64 will have to meet the work requirement, as well as parents with dependent children aged 14 years and older.
Taken together with the junk food bans and everything else that’s changing for SNAP in the years to come – and it’s fair to say that food assistance in the US is about to change in a very big way.
Is that a good change, a bad change, or a mix? Leave a comment and share your thoughts!
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