America Works Act of 2023

America Works Act of 2023

This bill expands applicability of the work requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients who are able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs). (SNAP recipients who are ABAWDs have work-related requirements in addition to the general SNAP work registration and employment and training requirements.)

Specifically, this bill applies the work requirements for ABAWDs to adults who are not over 65 years old, whereas these requirements currently apply to adults who are not over 50 years old.

Further, the ABAWD exemption for a parent or household member with responsibility for a dependent child is restricted to a dependent child under the age of seven. Currently, the child must be under the age of 18.

The bill also amends an ABAWD waiver program that allows state exemptions based on an area having an unemployment rate of over 10% or an insufficient number of jobs. Specifically, the bill repeals the second basis for a state exemption, which applies to areas that have an insufficient number of jobs.

Under current law, a state agency may exempt up to 12% of SNAP recipients from the ABAWD work requirements for each fiscal year; unused exemptions may be carried over and used in a subsequent fiscal year. Under the bill, unused exemptions may not be carried over.