The new work requirements are expanding to more states Sunday for the Supplemental nutrition assistance programor SNAP, the nation’s largest federal assistance program.

Starting today, adults ages 18 to 64 without dependent children must work, participate in job and training programs, or volunteer at least 80 hours a month to be eligible for SNAP benefits. Those who do not meet the requirement can receive benefits for only three months in a three-year period.

The new requirements extend the work rules to additional groups that were previously exempt, including adults aged 55 to 64 and parents with children aged 14 and over. The law also eliminates prior waivers for veterans, the homeless and people ages 18 to 24 who were in foster care when they turned 18, according to federal guidelines.

The changes come from the provisions included in the “Law of a great beauty”, which President Donald Trump signed into law last summer.

TRUMP CONSIDERS SETTLING MASSIVE $10 BILLION IRS LIEN, DONATING PROCEEDS TO CHARITY

A “SNAP welcomed here” sign is seen at the entrance to a Big Lots store in Portland, Oregon. (Getty Images/Getty Images)

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the new provisions will reduce SNAP participation by about 2.4 million people over the next 10 years. About a third of those affected are healthy adults aged 18 to 64 without dependent children, while approximately 300,000 are able-bodied adults in that age group who live with children aged 14 or older.

HOW AMERICANS CAN GET A $1,000 BOOST THIS TAX SEASON

Beyond the work requirements, the law also makes broader changes to SNAP that will affect benefit levels for many households, including limits on future benefit increases and changes to how certain living expenses are counted when calculating monthly assistance, according to the CBO. These provisions are expected to result in smaller benefit amounts over time, even for some recipients who remain eligible.

A volunteer displays information about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at a grocery store in Dorchester, Massachusetts, U.S., Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. (Mel Musto/Bloomberg via Getty Images/Getty Images)

While a wider extension comes into effect on Sunday, including a Illinois and Ohio: Implementation varies by state. Texas, for example, began enforcing its new requirements in October, meaning some recipients may have already exhausted their three-month benefit window. In Alaska, Hawaii, Colorado and Georgia, for example, the three-month period began in November, so it is now ending.

The law allows flexibility for areas with high unemployment. Counties with unemployment rates above 10% can qualify for waivers, while Alaska and Hawaii can suspend work requirements if unemployment reaches 1.5 times the national average.

A display inside a Family Dollar Stores Inc. store is shown on Tuesday, March 3, 2020. in Chicago, Illinois, USA, “SNAP/EBT Food Stamp Benefits Accepted.” Dollar Tree Inc. released earnings numbers on March 4. (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images/Getty Images)

The CBO has also warned that additional changes to the law could cause states to modify or reduce their SNAP programs in the coming years, as states will have to cover a larger share of administrative costs and benefits under certain conditions.

CLICK HERE TO GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO

Nearly 42 million Americans currently receive SNAP benefits. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, more than 80% of SNAP households have gross incomes at or below the federal poverty line.