USDA proposes ending broad-based SNAP eligibility as Nevada officials, food banks and retailers weigh the impact

What happened

The U.S. Department of Agriculture published a proposed rule on Tuesday that would end automatic eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for households that also meet requirements for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Nevada Current reported. The policy being targeted is known as broad-based categorical eligibility.

That policy lets states extend SNAP to households receiving TANF aid even when their assets exceed the usual SNAP limit. According to Nevada Current, the proposal comes after voters signaled during the midterm elections that grocery costs were a major concern.

What the rule would change

USDA's national estimates

An analysis posted by the USDA estimates the rule would cut SNAP benefits by more than $45 billion over five years. It would remove about 17% of SNAP beneficiaries, or 6.3 million people, beginning in 2029, the first year the rule takes full effect.

The agency also estimated that about 1.8 million children would no longer be automatically eligible for free school meals, and 5,500 households would lose access to TANF. About 42,000 children nationally could potentially lose Summer EBT beginning in 2029.

Higher costs for states

The USDA estimates the rule would increase state administrative costs by nearly $930 million. Advocates say the current policy helps states streamline applications for households already found eligible for other programs, which reduces administrative costs.

Competing arguments

A USDA spokesperson said in a statement that "Broad-based categorical eligibility has bloated the welfare rolls for decades," adding that correcting this loophole is long overdue. Crystal FitzSimons, president of the Food Research & Action Center, disagreed, saying in a statement that ending the policy "does nothing to reduce hunger, and it doesn’t improve program integrity."

How Nevada could be affected

State still reviewing

It is unclear how many Nevadans would be affected if the rule is implemented, Nevada Current reported. A spokesperson for the Nevada Department of Human Services Division of Social Services said the division was recently made aware of the matter and needs additional time to review it and evaluate potential impacts.

Earlier cuts already under way

Since the One Big Beautiful Bill Act took effect in July 2025 with stricter work requirements, Nevada has seen a 23% reduction in SNAP participants, or more than 100,000 Nevadans, according to Nevada Current. The Nevada Division of Social Services estimates administrative costs tied to the new federal requirements at $19 million for the 2025–26 biennium and approximately $50 million for each future biennium.

Food banks and retailers raise concerns

Food banks in the state noted that for every meal they distribute, SNAP provides nine. KC Kappen, a spokesperson for Three Square, told Nevada Current that "the charitable food system was built to supplement SNAP, not replace it," and that losing benefits all at once creates immediate pressure on food banks and nonprofit partners.

Bryan Wachter, president of the Retail Association of Nevada, urged federal lawmakers to assess the effects on the state's retail sector, noting that SNAP dollars directly benefit the local economy. "This rule will create more government as families and businesses try to navigate an already complex system," Wachter said.

Background on the proposal

The Trump administration proposed a similar rule in 2019 but never finalized it, and the Biden administration withdrew that proposal in 2021, Nevada Current reported. Broad-based categorical eligibility has long been a Republican target and is addressed in the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 policy blueprint.

Whether the new rule will be finalized is unclear following leadership changes after the midterms. Democrats, who took control of both houses of Congress last week, have vowed to roll back SNAP cuts.

What to watch next

• Whether the USDA finalizes the proposed rule following leadership changes after the midterms.
• Action by congressional Democrats, who have vowed to roll back SNAP cuts after taking control of both houses.
• The Nevada Division of Social Services review of how many Nevadans the rule could affect.
• Whether the next Congress examines the rule's effects, as the Retail Association of Nevada has urged.