According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the changes will reduce federal SNAP spending by an estimated $187 billion over the next ten years, reshaping eligibility, work requirements, immigrant access, and state responsibilities in ways that could leave 2.4 million fewer people receiving benefits each month by 2034.
Expanded Work Requirements
One of the most consequential changes involves the expansion of work rules. Previously, adults aged 18 to 54 without dependents were required to work at least 80 hours per month to receive SNAP benefits beyond three months in a 36-month period.
Under the new law, this requirement now applies to individuals up to age 65, significantly broadening the group subject to these conditions.
Exemptions remain for those who are physically or mentally unable to work, as confirmed by federal guidelines. However, other long-standing exemptions have been eliminated—including for homeless individuals, veterans, and former foster youth under age 25.
For parents, the threshold has also shifted: only those with children aged 13 or younger will be exempt from work requirements. Parents of older teens no longer qualify for this protection.
States may still request waivers in areas with unemployment rates of 10% or higher. Alaska and Hawaii receive automatic consideration if their unemployment reaches 150% of the national average.
Tighter Rules for Immigrant Eligibility
The reforms also narrow access for non-citizens. Under prior law, certain long-term residents—including those admitted before June 30, 1948, individuals granted deferred deportation, or those entering under federal parole—could qualify for SNAP.
