Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Reforming Categorical Eligibility

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Open for public comment until Dec. 10, 2026. Comment on Regulations.gov

What it does

Under section 5(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, households in which each member receives benefits under a State program funded by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) are categorically eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Current SNAP regulations consider TANF benefits to include both cash assistance and non-cash or in-kind benefits or services from TANF-funded programs. This proposal would limit categorical eligibility to only households that receive TANF assistance, as defined at 45 CFR 260.31. These revisions would ensure that SNAP benefits are targeted to needy households that have qualified for TANF assistance while still aligning categorical eligibility's statutory purpose of simplifying program administration. A 100-word summary of this rule has been posted to www.regulations.gov and can be found here.

The Food and Nutrition Administration's summary, as published in the Federal Register.

What it would change

1 part of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations:

7 CFR 273

Before this

No earlier Federal Register document under regulation identifier 0584-AF10 since Jan. 1, 2025.

What happens next and when

Written comments must be received on or before December 10, 2026 to be assured of consideration.

The agency's dates, word for word.

Check it yourself

• The document in the Federal Register
• Docket FNA-2026-0661 on Regulations.gov
• Title 7 on eCFR

The record as published

Source: the Federal Register (public domain). The document in the Federal Register