SNAP’s New Reality: Expanded Work Requirements, Cost Shifts to States, and Benefit Adjustment Changes
Applied Economic Education and Extension, 2026
Abstract
The One Big Beautiful Bill dramatically changes SNAP through three major changes: expanding time-limited work requirements to an estimated 1.6 million more SNAP households, shifting billions in costs to states, and restoring the cost neutrality for benefit adjustment. We show how these shifts impact food security and state budgets.
Huang, Z., W. Zhang, and A. Hinds. 2026. "SNAP's New Reality: Expanded Work Requirements, Cost Shifts to States, and Benefit Adjustment Changes" [Accepted | Applied Economic Education and Extension]