This bill expands the applicability of work requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients who are able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs). As background, these SNAP recipients have work-related requirements in addition to the general SNAP work registration and employment and training requirements.
Specifically, the bill amends the exemptions to this requirement.
First, the bill applies the work requirements for ABAWDs to adults who are not over 65 years old, whereas these requirements currently apply to adults who are not over 55 years old.
Second, the ABAWD exemption for a parent or household member with responsibility for a dependent child is restricted to a dependent child under the age of seven. Currently, the child must be under the age of 18.
Third, the bill repeals the ABAWD exemptions for homeless individuals, veterans, and certain foster care individuals (those who are 24 years old or younger and were in foster care on the date of attaining 18 years of age or a higher age).
In addition, under current law, an ABAWD waiver program allows state exemptions based on an area having an unemployment rate of over 10% or an insufficient number of jobs. The bill amends the exemption to require the unemployment rate to be based on the rate for the county, instead of the area. Further, the bill repeals the provision that allows a state exemption if that area does not have a sufficient number of jobs.