After days of confusion and conflicting court rulings, Kentucky officials announced Wednesday that nearly 600,000 residents who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will begin receiving partial benefits this week.
“Partial benefits are now flowing to eligible Kentuckians who receive SNAP benefits. Due to the ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, Kentucky has not processed full benefits,” said Kendra Steele, spokesperson for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Steele did not specify how much benefits were reduced.
The fate of SNAP — the nation’s largest food assistance program, serving about 42 million Americans — has been uncertain since the federal government shutdown began Oct. 1. In late October, the Trump administration announced it would not fund SNAP, putting added strain on Kentucky food banks when funds lapsed Nov. 1.
Several states, cities, and nonprofits, including Kentucky, sued the administration, arguing that the federal government could use more than $5 billion from a contingency fund to continue payments. The administration countered that it needed over $8 billion to fully fund the program.
A federal Rhode Island judge ordered SNAP funding restored, but on Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a stay, halting that order until the administration’s appeal is heard in a U.S. Court of Appeals.
While states like Washington, Oregon, New York, New Jersey, and Hawaii had already issued full benefits before the ruling, Kentucky only distributed partial payments, Steele said.
Ahead of the lapse, Governor Andy Beshear allocated $5 million in state funds to food banks to help meet rising demand for free groceries and pantry supplies.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture later instructed states to reverse any steps taken to fund SNAP on their own. Meanwhile, the U.S. House was expected to vote Wednesday on bills to reopen the federal government, which include full SNAP funding through September 2026.
Steele said it remains unclear when full benefits will resume. “If and when the federal government reopens, timing of full SNAP benefits depends on how quickly the federal government sends the necessary information to states,” she said.
Upcoming SNAP changes could cut benefits for thousands
Even if federal funding is restored, many Kentuckians could still lose benefits due to new rules introduced under the Big, Beautiful Bill, enacted July 4.
As of Nov. 1, adults ages 18 to 64 must prove they are working, volunteering, or enrolled in school to qualify for SNAP. Previously, 117 of Kentucky’s 120 counties had a federal waiver exempting recipients from reporting work hours due to high unemployment. That waiver has now expired.
According to the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, the new requirements could cause as many as 114,000 residents to lose benefits.
Currently, SNAP serves about 595,200 Kentuckians — roughly 13% of the state’s population, or 1 in 8 residents, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
The state will also shoulder more of the program’s costs. Administrative expenses, which were previously split evenly between federal and state governments, will now require states to cover 75% of those costs starting next year — an increase of about $60 million for Kentucky.
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