Ensuring food security for Nebraskans continues to be a subject of policy debate this legislative session. A bill (LB 1381) that would impose work requirements as a condition for receiving benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will be discussed in today’s Health and Human Services Committee hearing.
SNAP is Nebraska’s most important anti-hunger program, enabling over 170,000 Nebraskans to afford food. A robust body of evidence shows that the majority of SNAP recipients who can work already do, and those who don’t may be providing unpaid care to children or family members.
In Virginia, where work requirements were reinstated in 2013, SNAP enrollment dropped significantly without a notable increase in job creation or retention. Other state experiments in establishing work requirements for SNAP beneficiaries have not been found to increase labor force participation, but rather increase the administrative challenges of enforcement, leading people to lose access to critical anti-hunger supports.
LB 1381 would significantly add to what it costs the state to administer SNAP in Nebraska, with costs estimated at $1.9 million in FY25 and $2.7 million in FY26.
The Health and Human Services Committee meets at 1:30 p.m. OpenSky will provide updates on X.
