Connecticut officials are releasing more details on the impact President Donald Trump's spending and tax policy will have on the state’s contributions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
Office of Policy and Management Secretary Jeff Beckham said in a recent memo his office still doesn't have a full understanding of the federal bill’s impacts on Connecticut, and cautioned more changes could lie ahead before the next legislative session begins in February.
“Although this law contains many provisions that will have a direct impact on state finances, it does not represent the last federal action that is likely to take place,” the Aug. 8 memo to state lawmakers said.
While the full extent that the sweeping federal cuts will have on Connecticut’s budget remains unclear, the local impact of federal changes to SNAP are beginning to come more into focus.
OPM now estimates the cost of administering SNAP will be an extra $32 million for Connecticut in fiscal year 2026, and nearly $43 million extra annually starting in fiscal year 2027. The federal bill changed the responsibility of administrative costs to be 75%, up from 50%.
But the costs don’t stop there. The federal changes also mean Connecticut would pay an additional $130 million annually for the food benefit, OPM estimated. That’s because federal law requires states with high payment error rates, like Connecticut, to now contribute to funding the benefit beginning in October 2027.
What’s next for SNAP?
OPM will likely offer proposals in the coming weeks seeking to address the state's future finances, at least for the next few years.
Those suggestions could play a role in an upcoming special session, and beyond that. Before the end of the 2025 regular session, Connecticut’s legislative majority said they would need to call a special session to address the federal cuts. Lawmakers are expected to reconvene this fall.
Nationwide, the federal cuts mean fewer people receive SNAP benefits. An estimated 2.4 million fewer people a month will participate in SNAP from 2025-2034, according to a Monday analysis from the Congressional Budget Office. That’s because there are new eligibility rules for SNAP, which include expanded work requirements.
Those new requirements are effective July 4, but when asked Wednesday about implementation about the new requirements a Connecticut OPM spokesperson stated, “the federal government has not provided additional guidance.”
The state comptroller’s office's report released in July said almost 400,000 Connecticut residents who currently receive the food benefit will be impacted in some way by the recent federal changes.
“These are people who literally rely on SNAP to eat, one of the most fundamental things for us to have as human beings,” Comptroller Sean Scanlon said.
Connecticut Public’s Sujata Srinivasan contributed reporting.
