The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has provided information about changes to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, knows as CalFresh in California) as a result of H.R. 1, the federal budget reconciliation act.
The act restricts updates to the Thrifty Food plan amount (the food cost used to determine benefit amount) to no earlier than January 1, 2027, and any benefit increase must be cost neutral. The act also caps benefits amounts for households with nine or more members to the equivalent of 200% of the federal poverty level for a family of four.
The act changes rules regarding Able Bodied Adults Without Dependants (ABAWDs). When implemented, the ABAWD requirements will apply to persons age 18-64, limits the work requirement exemption for to households with a dependent child under age 14, eliminates the exceptions for former foster youth, veterans and homeless are repealed and adds a new exception for tribal members who are eligible for Indian Health Service services is added. The threshold for a waiver of the ABAWD requirements will be raised to the unemployment for an area being over 10%, and ends waivers based on lack of sufficient jobs. CDSS is waiting for additional guidance for implementation.
Internet expenses will no longer count toward the excess shelter deduction. California had not yet implemented counting internet expenses toward the excess shelter deduction, so this change will not impact California policy.
California currently provides a $20.01 Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) payment to allow all households to claim the Standard Utility Allowance. This option is called Heat and Eat. The act prevents states from continuing Heat and Eat. CDSS is waiting for additional guidance for implementation.
Effective October 1, 2027, states must pay a percentage of CalFresh benefit allotments on a sliding scale based on the state’s error rate. States with an error rate below 6% will have zero match. States with an error rate between 6% and 7.99% will have a 5% state match. States with an error rate between 8% and 9.99% will have a 10% state match. States with an error rate of 10% or higher will have a 15% state match.
States will be able to choose to use to use their error rate for fiscal year 2025 or 2026 to calculate their fiscal year 2028 match. After that, states must use their error rate for the third fiscal year prior to determine their match percentage.
Effective October 1 2026, the federal portion of administrative costs will be reduced to 25%.
The act repeals the National Education and Obesity Prevention Grant Progam (SNAP-Ed). As a result, the CalFresh Healthy Living program will end on September 30, 2025.
Most qualified immigrants will no longer eligible for CalFresh, including refugees, asylees, public interest parolees, battered noncitizens, trafficking victims, and others. Exceptions are Cuban and Haitian Entrants, Lawful Permanent Residents and Compact of Free Association states citizens. Financial resources of ineligible noncitizens in a CalFresh household will be included in eligibility and benefit determinations. CDSS is waiting for additional guidance for implementation. (ACL 25-50, July 14, 2025.)