New Trump rule could eliminate food stamps for almost 200K Californians

In December last year, the Trump Administration finalized a new rule that could potentially cut off food stamps to roughly 688,000 American Adults. The new rule requires the states to enforce work requirements. Currently, states can grant the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps benefits to adults who do not have steady jobs. The Agriculture Department said that the move will save about $5.5 billion over a 5-year course. The rule will take effect starting in April 2020.

“This is about restoring the original intent of food stamps,” said Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on a call to reporters. “Moving more ablebodied Americans to selfsufficiency.”

According to Urban Institute estimates, in California, about 200,000 people stand to lose their assistance and benefits in buying food.

The law states that ablebodied adults without children or people depending on them, working less than 80 hours a month or in certain training or volunteering activities qualify for three months of food stamps every three years. The states and counties are at liberty of abdicating the period limits, for instance, when unemployment rates are high.

Currently, there are about six California Counties; Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, Santa Clara and San Mateo that have received waivers through August 31, 2020. Fresno County has waived the limits for the past two decades.

This new rule makes it harder for the counties and states to drop the requirement. This means that a city or a county will need an unemployment rate if 6% or more, as well as the approval from the governor to qualify for a year’s exemption. Since Fresno’s unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in October, the county qualified the year-long exemption.

“It will require almost every county to enforce the harsh time limit on providing nutrition assistance for adults who are working less than 20 hours each week, no matter how hard they are looking for a job, have irregular schedules, or are employed but unable to document their hours,” said Jessica Bartholow, policy advocate at the Western Center on Law and Poverty.

California Joins 13 Other States to Stop The Rule

In January, fourteen states including California filed a suit against the rule.

“No one should have to choose between a hot meal and paying their rent,” California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in a statement. “Yet again, the Trump Administration has failed to offer any legitimate evidence to justify decisions that have real consequences for the health and well-being of our residents.”

In their suit, the states are claiming that the Trump administration failed to follow the steps required to enact such a rule. The rule is the