MISSOULA — The Montana Food Bank Network (MFBN) reports that around 80,000 Montanans utilize SNAP benefits. However, the Big Beautiful Bill Act has proposed changes to the program.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides people and families with limited income better access to food.
If passed, the Big Beautiful Bill would alter the requirements to receive those benefits. For example, those under 65 will have to report that they work, which is a shift from the current age of 55.
Another change, currently, parents with a child under 18 are exempt from reporting work information. The bill proposes requiring anyone with a child over the age of 7 to report working.
This worries MFBN, since it could trickle down to impact school lunch programs and summer meal assistance.
"If a parent is getting kicked off SNAP because they don't meet their new implemented work requirements, now the kiddo is getting kicked off their free and reduced lunch, so kids are gonna go hungry at home and in the classroom," MFBN advocacy specialist Kiera Condon said.
The new legislation also proposes that states cover 75% of SNAP's costs — a 25% jump from the current cost-sharing plan.
That has the Montana Food Bank Network concerned that potential increased costs will lead to program cuts by the state government.
"When states are now dealing with these new costs that the federal government used to cover, they're going to have to cut other programs that are state-run run or more than likely, they're going to have to cut SNAP," Condon told MTN.
Condon notes that food banks themselves cannot fill the void if SNAP is cut drastically.
"Food pantries provide, I believe, 1 out of 9 meals that SNAP provides. If people are losing a big part of their food assistance, and SNAP is the number one way to combat hunger, they're going to depend more on their food pantries. We can't fill that gap," Condon said.
The U.S. Senate is making some key changes to the House's version of the Big Beautiful Bill.
The full package would need to pass before the July 4th break.
