|
Ages Covered by Work Requirement |
Adults with Children Covered? |
Geographic Waivers |
Discretionary
Exemptions |
Other Provisions | |
| Current Law, as amended by Fiscal Responsibility Act | Before FRA: 18 to 49.
FY 2023: 18 to 50. FY 2024: 18 to 52. FY 2025 – 2030: 18 to 54. FY 2031 and After: 18 to 49. |
No. All parents in household with children exempt. |
10% or higher; or “Area” that “does nothave a sufficient number of jobs to provide employment for the individuals.” Regulations define as: 20% above nationalaverage for a recent 24-month period or a Labor Surplus Area. |
8%.
Limits rollover of exemptions. |
Other exceptions from work requirements through FY 2030:
Homeless, Veterans, and Former foster children under age 24. |
| H.R. 1550/S.
1062 – Jobs and Opportunities for SNAP Act (Rep. Jake LaTurner / Sen. John Kennedy) |
18-64 | Parent in a householdof child under 7 exempt. | Eliminated. | 3%.
Limits rollover. |
Eliminates FRA exemptions for homelessness, veterans, and formerfoster care. |
| H.R. 1581 –
America Works Act of 2023 (Rep. Dusty Johnson) |
18 – 64 | Parent in a householdof child under 7 exempt. | Areas 10% or higher. | 8% (unchanged). Limits rollover. |
Eliminates FRA exemptions for homelessness, veterans, and former foster care. |
| H.R. 4969 –
Ending the Cycle of Dependency Act of 2023 (Rep. Eric Burlison) |
18 – 64 | Parents in a householdof child under 6 exempt. | Eliminated. | Eliminated. |
Enacts a lifetime benefit limit of no more than 60 months for able- bodiedadults (other than those with children under 6). Eliminates FRA exemptions for homelessness, veterans, and formerfoster care. Modifications to work registration requirement: 1) expands applicability to age 64; and 2) clarifies that only a primary caretaker of a dependent child may qualify for exemption. |
| S. 1188 – SNAP
Reform and Upward Mobility Act of 2023 (Sen. Mike Lee) |
18 – 63 | Parents subjected to work requirement (intends to exempt parents withchild 6 and under)
Sets combined requirement for both spouses of a marriedcouple with a child overage 6 at 20 hours per week. |
10% or higher.
Redefines “area” as county or equivalent. Requires county to be ina labor market area with unemployment rate above 10%. |
5%. |
Phases in 50% state matching requirement for benefits. Ends broad-based categorical eligibilityloophole. Expands work registration requirement applicability to age 64. Requires food eligiblefor purchase be deemed “essential” by USDA. Anti-fraud provisions. Modifies poverty data reporting. |
| USDA Rule, finalized but vacated 2019 (Trump Administration) | No change.
18 – 49 |
No change. All parents in household with children exempt. |
Adopts Labor Market Areas to restrictarbitrary combining of “areas.” 6% unemployment floor. Limits duration of waiver to 1 year. |
Limits carryover to equal to one year’s worth. | |
| Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, as passed by the House, 115thCongress (Rep. Michael Conaway) | 18 – 59 | Parent in a householdof child under six exempt. |
10% or higher; or In a state receiving extended, temporary, or emergency unemployment; or “Designated as a Labor Surplus Area;” or Areas 20% higher than national average, with a6% minimum. No combining jurisdictions, except Labor Market Areas. |
15%.
After 2026: 12% of covered individuals in 2019. |
Many other provisions. |
| Sources:
Current Law: 7 USC 2015. Jobs and Opportunities for SNAP Act: H.R. 1550 and S. 1062, 118th Congress, 1st Session, https://laturner.house.gov/media/press- releases/rep-laturner-introduces-medicaid-snap-work-requirements-legislation (accessed February 3, 2024). America Works Act of 2023: H.R. 1581, 118th Congress, 1st Session, https://dustyjohnson.house.gov/media/press- releases/johnson-leads-work-requirements-fight-us-house (accessed February 3, 2024). Ending the Cycle of Dependency Act of 2023: H.R. 4969 118th Congress, 1st Session, https://burlison.house.gov/media/press- releases/burlison-and-brecheen-introduce-america-works-welfare-reform-package (accessed February 3, 2024). SNAP Reform and Upward Mobility Act of 2023: S. 1188, 118th Congress, 1st Session, https://www.lee.senate.gov/2023/4/lee- introduces-snap-reform-and-upward-mobility-act (accessed February 3, 2024). Trump Administration Rule: U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service, “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Requirements for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents,” Federal Register, 84 FR 66782, 66782-66812, December 5, 2019, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/12/05/2019-26044/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program- requirements-for-able-bodied-adults-without-dependents (accessed January 25, 2024). Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018: H.R. 2, 115th Congress, 2nd Session, https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house- bill/2/text/eh(accessed February 16, 2024). |
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Comparing Proposals to Strengthen Food Stamp Work Requirements for Able-Bodied Adults
Comparing Proposals to Strengthen Food Stamp Work Requirements for Able-Bodied Adults
Matthew D. Dickerson is Director of Budget Policy at the Economic Policy Innovation Center (EPIC).
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