H.R. 1 Federal Budget Bill (One Big Beautiful Bill Act – 2025) Changes to Connecticut’s SNAP/HUSKY Programs
In July 2025, the 119th Congress passed Public Law No: 119-21 https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1, a statute also known as HR 1 or the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
The law impacts residents in Connecticut and throughout the nation. It is a wide-ranging piece of legislation that has resulted in policy changes for many important social service programs, including SNAP benefits (food stamps), Medicaid (known in Connecticut as Husky Health), Covered CT (enhanced premium tax credits) and LIHEAP (low-income home energy assistance). https://portal.ct.gov/dss/knowledge-base/articles/general-information/federal-updates-hr1?language=en_US
Many of these changes took effect in November 2025. Others are being phased in over the next several months. The programs and changes include:
SNAP (Food Stamps)
SNAP Heat & Eat changes: Previously, heat-and-eat LIHEAP funds were provided to any SNAP household whose heat was included in their rent or had a shelter obligation but did not have a separate heating/cooling obligation. Effective July 2025, Heat & Eat eligibility will be limited to SNAP households with an elderly or disabled member.
Anticipated implementation: November 2025
Impact:
- Approximately 50,000 households are no longer eligible for Heat & Eat
- $100/mo. loss of SNAP benefits for all impacted households
- Estimated loss of approximately $62.5 million annually in SNAP funds
SNAP Eligibility Changes for Non-Citizens: Previously, many non-citizens, including lawful permanent residents, could qualify for SNAP. Effective July 2025, SNAP eligibility was limited to:
- Lawful permanent residents
- Cuban/Haitian entrants
- COFA citizens (COFA stands for (Compacts of Free Association). These are citizens who are from Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau who lawfully reside in the U.S.
- Afghan or Iraqi SIVs: These are individuals admitted under Section 101(a)(27) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which grants special immigrant status to individuals who worked with the U.S. government for a period of at least one year.
Anticipated implementation: November 2025
SNAP ABAWD (Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents) Work Requirements
The law changes the age that SNAP recipients are required to be engaged in 80+ hours per month of work or community engagement from 19 to 54 to 19 to 64. It also:
- Changes the exemption to adults with children under age 14
- Removes exemptions for veterans, those experiencing homelessness, and those under 24 who aged out of foster care at 18
- Limits geographic waivers to towns/areas that have an unemployment rate > 10%
Households will be impacted effective December 2025 – February 2026.
MEDICAID (HUSKY Health)
Work Requirements
- Effective January 1, 2027, adults 19-64 will be required to engage in at least 80 hours per month of work or community engagement to remain eligible for Medicaid
- Acceptable activities to meet the requirement:
- Monthly income that is at least 80 times the federal hourly minimum wage (currently $7.25), or any of the following:
- At least 80 hours per month of work, or
- At least 80 hours per month of community service, or
- At least 80 hours per month of qualified work or training program participation, or
- Enrolled at least half-time in an education program, or
- Any combination of the above totaling at least 80 hours per month
- Provides exemptions from the work requirement for:
- Pregnant and postpartum individuals
- Foster and former foster youth
- Indians/Urban Indians
- Veterans with rated disabilities
- Medically frail individuals (e.g. blind, disabled, children with serious emotional disturbances, adults with serious mental illness, chronic substance use disorders, serious and complex medical conditions)
- Individuals with alcohol use disorder and substance use disorder
- Individuals already meeting work requirements for SNAP and/or TANF
- Parents and caregivers of a dependent child aged 13 and under or an individual with a disability
- Individuals recently released from incarceration for 90 days post release
- Individuals with a short-term hardship waiver
Non-citizen eligibility
Effective October 1, 2026
- Restricts non-citizen eligibility to legal permanent residents, Cuban/Haitian entrants, and Compacts of Free Association (COFA) citizens
- Individuals such as refugees, asylees, trafficking victims, humanitarian parolees and more who currently qualify for HUSKY Health will no longer be eligible due to their immigration status
FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION
The Connecticut Department of Social Services has put together a Question & Answer page to help answer the public’s questions about the impact of the new law. To view the Q&A, visit https://portal.ct.gov/dss/home/knowledge-base/articles/snap/snap-and-the-federal-shut-down?language=en_US
For more information on how to access food assistance in Connecticut under the new rules, visit the Connecticut Social Services Food Assistance web page https://portal.ct.gov/dss/knowledge-base/articles/snap/abawd-work-requirement-changes-hr1?language=en_US
For resources available to those not eligible for SNAP benefits, click here: https://portal.ct.gov/dss/knowledge-base/articles/general-information/more-food-assistance-resources?language=en_US
SOURCES: Congress.gov, Connecticut State Department of Social Services
PREPARED BY: 211/jm
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: November2025
