The state needs to do more to help New Yorkers meet expanded work requirements to receive SNAP benefits according to the Fiscal Policy Institute, a prominent nonpartisan think tank.
The institute reviewed Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed 2027 executive budget announced Tuesday, and noted the federal changes could mean around 350,000 New Yorkers lose access to SNAP.
The changes to work requirements were signed into law last year by the Trump administration as part of H.R.1 - known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill" – and include a stipulation that individuals must participate in work, job training, community service or education for at least 80 hours per month to receive SNAP benefits for more than 3 months.
Under the federal changes, certain groups are no longer exempt from work requirements, including veterans, people experiencing homelessness and young adults transitioning out of foster care.
The bill also cut federal funds to help administer the benefit, according to The FPI.
But Hochul's 2027 budget does not offer funding to plug that gap, says the institute.
"A few hundred million dollars will be needed to maintain the level of funding and SNAP administration in the state," said the FPI's Emily Eisner.
"The state needs to put significant effort into helping people meet those work requirements, both through increasing funding for administration so that people have support to do the paperwork that is necessary to prove that they meet the work requirements."
She added: "And then there are ways that the state can also help people find work and find volunteer opportunities, which would then make them eligible for SNAP."
Hochul's proposed $260 billion budget allocates millions of dollars to food security initiatives. According to a press release announcing the budget, $66 million is allocated to the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP) to expand funding to food banks and emergency food providers. There is also a proposed $55 million for the Nourish NY Program, which reroutes surplus agricultural products to communities in need, along with $10 million to fund a new capital grant program for hunger prevention organizations statewide.
