SNAP Reform and Upward Mobility Act of 2025

Summary

Requires the Census Bureau and Federal agencies to share administrative and tax data beginning FY2025 to create improved poverty measures and to measure the anti‑poverty effects of Federal benefit programs, while adding confidentiality protections and criminal penalties for unlawful disclosure. Substantially changes SNAP rules by tightening eligibility and work requirements, narrowing the statutory definition of allowable “food,” increasing state cost‑sharing for administration over time, strengthening vendor oversight and penalties for trafficking, adding cooperation requirements with fraud investigations, limiting authorized EBT users, and directing new reporting on SNAP employment and training outcomes.

• Requires Census to collect supplemental administrative and tax data starting FY2025 to improve poverty measurement and evaluate Federal benefits.
• Creates an eight‑member Commission on Valuation of Federal Benefits and requires GAO comparisons of poverty measures using the new data.
• Tightens and expands SNAP program purposes and work/eligibility rules, including a new six‑month prior benefit receipt requirement.
• Narrows the statutory definition of allowable SNAP "food" to items the Secretary deems "essential."
• Phases in state matching requirements for SNAP administrative funds from 10% (FY2025) to 50% (FY2033 onward).
• Strengthens vendor oversight: annual reauthorization for medium/high‑risk vendors, permanent disqualification for certain trafficking convictions, and higher civil penalties.
• Limits authorized EBT users to five per household and creates escalating sanctions for unauthorized EBT uses.
• Expands penalties and investigative funding retention rules: raises state retention of recovered funds for investigations to 50% and requires amounts above 35% be used for fraud work.
• Adds confidentiality protections and criminal penalties (up to $300,000 fine and/or 5 years imprisonment) for unlawful access/disclosure of the new Census data.