Gallatin, Tennessee – A newly released policy brief is raising concerns across Tennessee as expanded work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program begin to affect tens of thousands of residents who depend on food assistance to get by. The report outlines how recent federal changes are reshaping eligibility, increasing pressure on recipients, and creating possible financial risks for the state itself.
Expanded Work Rules Put Pressure on SNAP Recipients
Nearly 700,000 Tennesseans rely on SNAP benefits each month to help pay for groceries, making the program one of the largest safety nets in the state. According to the report, those benefits are now harder to keep for certain adults due to changes included in a federal budget reconciliation law passed last year, formally titled the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
Robin Yeh, policy director for the Sycamore Institute in Nashville, explained that the law expanded work requirements for adults between the ages of 18 and 64 who do not have dependents under the age of 14. These individuals now face stricter rules in order to continue receiving assistance.
“For those people that meet that ‘able-bodied adults without dependents’ work requirement, they have to work at least 80 hours a month, which is roughly 20 hours a week,” Yeh outlined. “They then also are limited to benefits for three months within a three-year period if they do not meet those work requirements.”
The institute’s brief estimates that at least 52,000 people in Tennessee will fall under these new rules. For many, that could mean losing food assistance if they are unable to secure steady work hours, even if jobs are limited or unstable in their area.
How SNAP Works and What Can Be Purchased
SNAP benefits are issued through electronic benefit transfer cards, which recipients use to buy food at more than 6,800 SNAP-authorized retailers across Tennessee. These benefits are meant to help families and individuals cover basic grocery needs, not luxury items.
In December 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved Tennessee’s request to restrict SNAP purchases of items such as soda and candy. With that decision, Tennessee joined 12 other states that have placed similar limits on what can be bought using SNAP funds.
Eligibility for SNAP is determined by federal income and asset rules, as well as citizenship and residency requirements. Yeh emphasized that people enrolled in the program are already living on very tight budgets.
“Their net monthly income, which is the amount of take-home pay they have after taxes, can’t exceed 100% of the poverty level, which is the poverty line,” Yeh noted.
For context, the monthly poverty line for a family of four currently stands at $2,680, highlighting just how limited household resources are for many SNAP recipients.
Financial Risk for Tennessee
Beyond the impact on families, the report also warns of serious budget concerns for the state. The federal budget law changed how SNAP administrative costs are shared between states and the federal government. If Tennessee fails to reduce its SNAP payment error rate below 6%, the state could be responsible for as much as $243 million in additional costs by federal fiscal year 2028.
Policy analysts say this places added pressure on state agencies already managing a complex system, while vulnerable residents face the risk of losing access to food during a time of rising costs and economic uncertainty.
