Overview
- As of Feb. 1, adults ages 18–64 without qualifying dependents must document at least 80 hours per month of work, volunteering, or training to maintain benefits.
- Recipients who do not meet the requirement or secure an exemption are limited to three months of benefits within three years, with agencies warning of February notices and potential cutoffs starting May 1.
- Exemptions were narrowed: the parental exemption now applies only to households with children younger than 14, and prior automatic exemptions for veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and many former foster youth were removed under federal guidance.
- Implementation and verification vary by state, with places like Texas requiring recipients to log and submit hours, and waivers still available in high‑unemployment areas under federal rules.
- Food banks report preparing for higher demand as participation is projected to decline, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating about 2.4 million fewer people on SNAP over the next decade.