Sponsors (9)
The bill restores SNAP access and improves reentry continuity for people with felony drug convictions and simplifies SNAP administration, while increasing program caseloads and costs and leaving some TANF-based exclusions and state-level objections in place.
Low-income individuals with past felony drug convictions regain eligibility for SNAP, restoring access to food assistance that had been broadly denied because of conviction status.
People incarcerated and scheduled for release within 30 days are counted in the SNAP household definition, improving continuity of food assistance at reentry for individuals and families.
State and local SNAP administrators face fewer convictions-based SNAP exclusions—by limiting denials to TANF—reducing inconsistent state-level exclusions and simplifying SNAP program administration.
Federal and state governments (and taxpayers) may face higher program caseloads and increased administrative costs to process higher SNAP participation and to support reentry outreach and transitions.
Some low-income people may still lose benefits because states can continue to enforce TANF-based exclusions under §862a, so restoring SNAP does not eliminate all conviction-related benefit barriers.
States that previously used convictions-based restrictions lose a perceived deterrent tool, which could prompt political pushback and require states to revise policies and implementation procedures.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Removes SNAP eligibility bars tied to controlled-substance felony convictions, confines the felony-conviction ban to TANF, and treats those releasing within 30 days as part of the SNAP household.
Official title: To amend the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 to allow individuals with drug offenses to receive benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance program, and for other purposes.
Introduced September 9, 2025 by Stephen Cohen · Last progress September 9, 2025
Narrows federal bans that tie public-benefits eligibility to certain felony drug convictions so that SNAP (food stamps) is no longer covered by the categorical denial rule and states may not condition SNAP eligibility on a controlled-substance conviction. It also explicitly treats people who are incarcerated but scheduled for release within 30 days as part of the household for SNAP purposes, which can allow them to be counted for pre-release enrollment and benefit planning. The bill revises statutory definitions to align with the Social Security Act's definition of "State" and relocates existing language to update how TANF and SNAP eligibility rules apply to people with controlled-substance convictions. The changes remove state-level bars for SNAP, keep changes focused on TANF, and add a short-title provision.