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Arkansas DHS adopts emergency rule to implement Act 675 of 2023, sets SNAP resource limit
Summary
The Arkansas Department of Human Services presented and the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee approved an emergency rule to implement Act 675 of 2023 on broad-based categorical eligibility for SNAP, updating the resource limit to $5,500.
The House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee reviewed and approved an emergency rule from the Arkansas Department of Human Services to implement Act 675 of 2023 concerning broad-based categorical eligibility for SNAP. The committee approved the rule without objection; review and approval were recorded as effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday, April 5, 2025.
Christy Putnam, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Human Services, told the committee the rule “adds an eligible definition. It also updates resource limits to $5,500 for households that are in compliance with Act 675 of 2023.” Putnam and staff said the department initially believed state match funding would be required, which delayed rulemaking. She said additional legal and technical assistance clarified the department could identify “a benefit that could be extended to all SNAP household eligible households” and then prepare the emergency rule within about a week.
Committee chair and members asked whether the delay could have been avoided; Chair Eves said the committee would like the agencies to be more expeditious with future rules. The committee recorded no formal roll-call; the action was approved by voice without objection.
The committee’s approval applies only to the emergency rule as presented; no additional statutory changes were made during the meeting. The department described the change as implementing Act 675 of 2023 and limited its discussion to the rulemaking and the department’s timeline for completion.
