Sponsors (13)
The bill expands SNAP access for bona fide half‑time students and simplifies rules for applicants and states, improving food assistance access and program clarity while increasing federal costs and causing modest administrative adjustments for states.
Low-income and bona fide half‑time student households: more students who meet the half‑time criterion become eligible for SNAP, increasing access to food assistance for students and their households.
All SNAP applicants and state agencies: removing student‑specific statutory rules and redesignating references simplifies eligibility rules, which should speed determinations and reduce administrative confusion for USDA/FNS and state offices.
Parents and state agencies: clarifying child‑support cooperation rules to align with the updated SNAP eligibility reduces ambiguity and administrative conflict for families and states.
Federal taxpayers: expanding eligibility to additional students will increase SNAP participation and thereby raise federal spending on nutrition assistance.
Taxpayers and program targeting: removing student‑specific eligibility criteria could allow some higher‑income students to qualify under household rules, modestly broadening benefits beyond the poorest students.
State governments: short‑term administrative and IT costs may be required to update systems and procedures to reflect the statutory redesignations and rule changes.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Makes bona fide half-time students eligible for SNAP by removing the prior student-disqualification rule and updating statutory cross-references.
Introduced July 29, 2025 by Kirsten Gillibrand · Last progress July 29, 2025
Expands SNAP eligibility by making bona fide half-time college students count as SNAP household members and removes the prior student-disqualification rule, so many enrolled half-time students can receive benefits. It also updates numerous statutory cross-references and subsection lettering across the Food and Nutrition Act and related laws to reflect the removal of the old student eligibility subsection. Changes become effective January 2, 2026. The bill does not itself appropriate new funds but will likely increase SNAP participation and require administrative updates by USDA and state agencies to implement the new eligibility rules and corrected references.