Sponsors (38)
Last progress June 12, 2025 (8 months ago)
Introduced on June 12, 2025 by Suzanne Bonamici
Requires colleges that get grants under the specified Higher Education Act part to send eligible students an electronic notice explaining that they may qualify for SNAP, how to learn more and apply, and to include an official document verifying participation in a federally financed work‑study program. The Department of Education, working with USDA, will create the notice and issue guidance to States and institutions about who is an eligible student and what counts as SNAP.
Adds a new subsection (f) titled “Notification regarding SNAP” to Section 443 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (the section governing grants under this part).
An institution receiving a grant under this part must send a notification (by email or other electronic means) to each eligible student informing them of potential SNAP eligibility and the process for obtaining more information, confirming eligibility, and accessing benefits.
The notification must be developed by the Secretary of Education in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture and must include details on eligibility requirements for SNAP that a student must satisfy.
The notification should, to the extent practicable, be specific to the student’s State of residence and provide contact information for the local office where a SNAP application may be made.
The notification must include an official document confirming the recipient is an eligible student sufficient to demonstrate that the exclusion from ineligibility for SNAP under section 6(e)(4) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 applies to the student.
Who is affected and how:
Students (especially those participating in federally financed work‑study and low‑income students): They will receive direct electronic notification about possible SNAP eligibility, clearer instructions on how to apply, and an official work‑study document to support their application. This should lower information and documentation barriers, potentially increasing SNAP uptake among eligible students.
Institutions of higher education (grant recipients): Financial aid and student services offices must identify eligible students, produce or attach official work‑study verification, and deliver the electronic notices. This creates a modest administrative task (data matching, document generation, outreach) and may require coordination with IT systems.
State SNAP agencies: May see increased applications and will receive a standardized verification document (work‑study participation) that can aid eligibility determinations. They will also be recipients of interagency guidance or coordination materials.
Federal agencies (Department of Education and USDA): Will invest staff time to jointly design the notice, create definitions, and issue guidance to States and institutions. They will play an oversight and technical assistance role.
Overall effects: The policy is primarily informational and administrative. It is likely to improve awareness and reduce documentation friction for eligible students but creates a small implementation burden for colleges and requires interagency coordination. No new benefits or funding are directly authorized by the provision itself, so institutions absorb administrative effort unless guidance or appropriations accompany the change.
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.