The Improving Access to Nutrition Act of 2026 would eliminate work requirements for able-bodied adults receiving SNAP (food stamps), a long-standing restriction that currently affects approximately 6.1 million people. The bill removes language from the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 that allows states to deny SNAP benefits to adults without dependents who don't meet work hours requirements, and it eliminates bonus funding that states received for enforcing these requirements. According to the bill's findings, research shows that work requirements don't reduce poverty and may actually discourage people from applying for benefits due to administrative burdens, while disproportionately affecting communities like Black Americans and people experiencing homelessness. The changes would take effect 180 days after the bill becomes law, though there is a 90-day transition period for individuals already hired under current rules. The bill was introduced in February 2026 with bipartisan support and referred to the House Agriculture Committee.
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