Tougher SNAP Work Rules Hit More States March 1

The federal work mandate for SNAP has created a patchwork of deadlines across the country, with some states already months into enforcement while others won't begin until next year.

Rudy Blalock

Published: 3/3/2026, 5:23:23 AM EST

Tougher SNAP Work Rules Hit More States March 1 — A sign alerting customers about SNAP benefits is displayed at a grocery store in New York City on Dec. 5, 2019. (Scott Heins/Getty Images)

Millions of able-bodied Americans who have been depending on government food assistance will face new rules for eligibility this month, as expanded work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) take effect across a growing number of states.

Beginning Sunday, able-bodied recipients in New York, Nevada, and Rhode Island must meet stricter employment or volunteer thresholds or risk losing their benefits within months—the latest wave of enforcement stemming from sweeping changes President Donald Trump signed into law last July as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025.

The federal work mandate has created a patchwork of deadlines across the country, with some states already months into enforcement. Others won't begin until next year.

Under the new law, two groups that were previously shielded from work requirements are now in the crosshairs. Adults aged 55 through 64 must now comply, expanding the mandate from its former cap of age 54. Parents whose youngest child is 14 or older are also now subject to the rules—a jump from the previous threshold, which exempted any parent with a child under 18, according to the Food and Nutrition Service, an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Those who fall under the requirements must work, volunteer, or participate in job training for a minimum of 80 hours per month—or roughly 20 hours per week. Fail to do so for three consecutive months within any three-year period and benefits are cut off.

The law also stripped away longstanding protections. According to a Food and Nutrition Service memorandum on the SNAP provisions of the Act, homeless individuals, veterans, and young adults who aged out of foster care—groups that had been exempt since 2023—must now meet the same standards as other able-bodied adults.

State-by-State Scramble

Texas began enforcing the updated requirements rules back in October 2025, meaning some able-bodied residents there who are not working or volunteering may have already exhausted their three-month window by January. Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, and Hawaii started their clocks in November. Illinois and Ohio launched enforcement on Feb. 1, giving able-bodied recipients in those states until May to comply.

Most of New York began enforcement Sunday, though Saratoga County has been operating under the rules since October, according to the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. The state's ABAWD waiver—which had shielded recipients statewide—expired March 1 for all districts except Saratoga County, where the rules were already in place due to federal court litigation.

In Nevada, the Nevada Department of Human Services said in a Feb. 23 press release that notices went out to roughly 44,700 able-bodied residents warning them they would lose eligibility effective March 1 for not meeting the work requirements. Overall, approximately 433,000 Nevadans currently receive SNAP benefits. The first notification of the changes went out in mid-November to more than 72,000 individuals who were not meeting the requirements or qualified for an exemption.

"The Nevada Division of Social Services has been working with various community partners to identify volunteer opportunities to help those impacted individuals," DSS Deputy Administrator Kelly Cantrelle said. "DSS remains committed to supporting Nevadans with accessing the benefits they need while also helping them overcome barriers to employment."

Rhode Island also began its enforcement on March 1, with the state's Department of Human Services extending its original start date to give recipients time to prepare for the federal change.

Meanwhile, California's exemption stretches through January 2027, and several states with relatively high unemployment have received temporary waivers delaying implementation.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the expanded requirements are projected to reduce the average monthly number of SNAP recipients by about 2.4 million over the next decade. Currently, roughly 42 million Americans—about one in eight—receive benefits averaging approximately $190 per month. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a majority live below the poverty line, and nearly two in five beneficiaries reside in households where someone already holds a job.

Starting in October, states will be required to shoulder three-fourths of SNAP's administrative costs, up from the current roughly even split with the federal government. Beginning in 2027, states with higher payment error rates will face penalties and be required to cover some benefit costs.

For those who lose eligibility, the door is not permanently closed. According to the Food and Nutrition Service, recipients can regain benefits once they meet the work requirement for 30 consecutive days or qualify for a new exemption. The 80-hour monthly threshold can be satisfied through paid employment, unpaid volunteer work, or participation in approved training and employment programs.

State agencies are required to provide recipients with written notice and oral explanation of the requirements. Ohio has already announced it will begin requiring work documentation this month, setting the stage for the first wave of potential benefit terminations this spring, according to the Cuyahoga County Department of Job and Family Services.