LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — New work requirements are now in effect for Kentuckians who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, commonly known as food stamps.
About 590,000 people — roughly 13% of Kentucky’s population — currently receive SNAP benefits. As of Feb. 1, however, expanded work requirements are expected to affect thousands of recipients.
The changes stem from the Big Beautiful Bill, a tax and spending measure signed into law in July 2025 by President Donald Trump. Under the new law, many adult SNAP recipients must work, volunteer or participate in job training for at least 80 hours per month to remain eligible. Those who do not meet the requirement are limited to three months of benefits within a three-year period.
The new rules apply to adults ages 18 to 64 who do not have dependents under the age of 14.
Qualifying activities include paid employment, self-employment, participation in job training or education programs, and volunteering with an approved nonprofit or public institution. SNAP recipients must also recertify their eligibility every six to 12 months.
Previously, work requirements applied to adults ages 18 to 54 who were physically and mentally able to work and did not have dependents under 18. The new law extends those requirements to adults ages 55 to 64 and to parents without children younger than 14.
The legislation also repeals work exemptions for people experiencing homelessness, veterans, and young adults aging out of foster care. In addition, it limits states’ ability to waive work requirements in areas with limited job opportunities.
As the changes take effect, Kentucky lawmakers are considering legislation aimed at protecting SNAP benefits if federal funding is delayed or interrupted. House Bill 522, filed Jan. 29 by Rep. Anne Gay Donworth, D-Fayette, and Senate Bill 135, filed by Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Jefferson, would allow the governor to authorize limited use of the state’s budget reserve trust fund to continue SNAP benefits during a lapse. Any funds used would have to be repaid within 90 days of federal appropriations being restored.
Earlier this month, Gov. Andy Beshear addressed SNAP cuts during his seventh State of the Commonwealth address as lawmakers begin work on a new two-year state budget. His proposal includes $50 million to support food banks statewide, aimed at offsetting federal SNAP cuts affecting an estimated 114,000 Kentuckians.
Nationwide, SNAP serves about 42 million people — roughly one in eight Americans — in low-income households. Recipients receive an average of about $190 per person each month, an amount that often does not fully cover the cost of groceries.
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