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(FOX40.COM) — President Donald Trump passed new legislation that changes how people qualify to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. The deadline to meet the new requirements is coming soon in California.
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SNAP is a government assistance program that aims to help low-income households afford food. It’s a federal program. However, state agencies manage it through local offices. Significant changes to qualify for the SNAP program were made after the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law on July 4.
New SNAP requirements
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the new requirements will take effect on Nov. 1. The law went into effect immediately after its passage, but the USDA gave states 120 days to implement the changes. Some of the new qualifications are as follows:
• Able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) who are between the ages of 16 and 65 are expected to meet employment requirements and participate in the SNAP Employment and Training program.
• ABAWDs are required to work at least 80 hours a month.
Individuals who do not meet these requirements may be disqualified from benefits after three months. Additionally, the USDA said it anticipates upcoming changes for non-citizen SNAP benefits, maximum allotments, energy assistance programs, and more.
“While SNAP is intended to ensure no one fears going hungry, its rules also reflect the importance of work and responsibility,” the USDA said on its website.
Exceptions to SNAP requirements
Before the new law, veterans, homeless individuals, people over 54, adults aged 24 and younger who were coming from foster care, and parents with dependents ages 18 and under were exempt from the work requirements. Now, everyone in that group are required to meet the requirements with some exceptions. The exceptions include:
• Pregnant women
• Parents with children aged 14 years old and under
• People with mental or physical disabilities
• Member of Native American tribe
• People enrolled in some training programs
• Students who meet certain criteria
• Homeless veterans who meet certain requirements
• Waiver approvals
It is still unclear how many of the new changes will be implemented. As of Oct. 14, a note on the USDA SNAP requirements webpage reads, “We will update this page once the guidance is released.”
For more information on SNAP benefits, visit USDA.gov.
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Veronica Catlin
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