Comparison Passed House
SNAP: Old Rules vs New Rules
What changed for SNAP recipients in 2025 (under H.R. 1) and 2026 (under the Farm Bill 2.0). The combined picture: $187B in cuts plus reauthorization plus rotisserie chicken eligibility.
The complete picture
Current SNAP rules combine H.R. 1 (2025 reconciliation) + the 2026 farm bill.
To understand SNAP today, you have to read both.
What H.R. 1 (2025) did
State cost-shifts
- States now pay a portion of SNAP benefit costs
- First time in program history (1964–2024 was 100% federal)
ABAWD work requirements (tightened)
- More rigorous work expectations for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents
- 3 months of SNAP in any 36-month period unless meeting work requirement
- State waiver authorities tightened
Income verification
- Tighter documentation requirements
- More frequent verification
Standard Utility Allowance limits
- Restrictions on how much SUA can increase
Total budget impact
- $187 billion in 10-year SNAP cuts
What the 2026 farm bill changed
Reauthorization
- SNAP and related programs reauthorized through September 30, 2031
Hot rotisserie chicken would become eligible nationwide (if enacted)
- Crawford R-AR amendment passed 384–35
- Builds on Arkansas USDA waiver
- Just hot rotisserie chicken, not all hot prepared foods
State certification outsourcing
- States can outsource SNAP certification to private contractors
- May speed processing in some states; create errors in others
Local food purchasing grants
- New program for food banks to procure locally produced food
- Builds on COVID-era LFPA program (which was ended in 2025)
Expanded SNAP nutrition incentive eligibility
- Programs like Double Up Food Bucks expanded
- Additional food categories eligible (USDA will define through rulemaking)
Discretionary funding
- $1.196B authorized FY2027–FY2031
- $997M in estimated outlays
What the 2026 farm bill DIDN’T change
The bill does not reverse:
- H.R. 1’s $187B in cuts
- State cost-shifts
- ABAWD work requirements
- Income verification tightening
- Standard Utility Allowance limits
Multiple Democratic amendments to reverse these changes did not pass.
Side-by-side: what SNAP recipients see
| Issue | Pre-H.R. 1 | Post-H.R. 1 + Farm Bill 2.0 |
|---|---|---|
| State funding share | 0% of benefits | Variable (states pay portion) |
| ABAWD work requirement | 3 months in 36 (limited age range) | 3 months in 36 (broader age range, fewer waivers) |
| Hot rotisserie chicken | Not eligible | Eligible nationwide |
| Other hot prepared foods | Not eligible | Still not eligible |
| Cold prepared foods | Eligible | Eligible |
| SNAP at convenience stores | Mixed | Mixed (state-specific) |
| Nutrition incentive programs | Limited categories | Expanded categories |
| Local food banks | Variable funding | Expanded grant funding |
State-level variation
States with the largest SNAP populations face the largest cost-shift impacts:
- California (5.2M recipients)
- Texas (3.4M)
- Florida (2.9M)
- New York (2.85M)
- Pennsylvania (1.85M)
- Illinois (1.85M)
- Ohio (1.4M)
- Michigan (1.4M)
These states may see:
- Tighter eligibility verification
- Reduced optional benefits
- Increased state administrative requirements