Sponsors (20)
The bill expands SNAP access for needy and independent students and clarifies/streamlines some administrative rules, but it raises program costs and creates short-term state implementation burdens while carrying a small risk that removing an old paragraph could unintentionally strip protections for some recipients.
Low-income and independent students (those with a Student Aid Index ≤ $0 or HEA-designated independent status) become newly eligible for SNAP, increasing food access for students who lack resources.
State SNAP administrators and program participants avoid disruption because the bill preserves existing authorities via paragraph redesignation, maintaining current program operations tied to that language.
State agencies and eligibility workers have clearer rules to follow — removal of an outdated paragraph and clarification that school attendance counts toward the 20-hour work/education aggregate simplifies administration and reduces wrongful denials for students combining school and work.
Taxpayers and state SNAP programs will likely face higher program costs because expanding student eligibility increases caseload and ongoing benefit outlays.
State agencies, local offices, and educational institutions will incur short-term implementation costs and complexity — updating eligibility systems, verification processes (SAI/HEA checks), forms, guidance and potentially facing legal interpretation questions.
Low-income SNAP recipients could lose protections or safeguards if the removed paragraph contained substantive benefits or eligibility rules, risking harm to some current beneficiaries.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Expands SNAP student exemptions to include students with SAI ≤ 0 and certain HEA-defined independent students, and clarifies attendance counts toward the work/attendance test.
Expands who can qualify for SNAP (food assistance) while in college by adding two new student exemption categories: students with a Student Aid Index of zero or less and students who meet certain “independent” criteria under the Higher Education Act. It also clarifies that the SNAP student test that looks at work and attendance counts attending an institution of higher education together with work when deciding eligibility. The changes take effect 180 days after enactment and do not apply to SNAP certification periods that start before that date.
Introduced April 9, 2026 by Nikema Williams · Last progress April 9, 2026