Local social services warns HR1 would narrow SNAP, add state costs and work requirements

Amber Bockelman, assistant director of benefit programs for Shenandoah Valley Department of Social Services, told the Staunton City Council on Sept. 25 that pending changes in federal legislation commonly called HR1 (referred to in the meeting as the “1 Big Beautiful Bill Act”) would tighten eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and make states take on a larger share of administrative and some benefit costs.

Bockelman opened by describing the local role: “Social services or local Department of Social Services are state supervised and locally administered,” and said Shenandoah Valley Social Services supports Staunton residents from two offices in the region.

She detailed proposed SNAP changes that would limit eligibility “to those who reside in the United States, who are a citizen, are lawfully admitted…Cuban Haitian entrants, or allowed to live and work in the United States under the compacts of free association,” and would remove refugees and asylees from eligibility unless the final statute includes them. She said the bill would expand the “able-bodied adults without dependents” (ABAWD) work or community-engagement requirement and expand the age range covered from 18–54 to 18–64. Exemptions for caregivers would narrow (for example, children under age 14 would be the exemption threshold rather than 18), and waivers would be limited to places with unemployment above 10 percent.

Bockelman said HR1 would create a national accuracy clearinghouse to prevent duplicate benefits across states and would shift administrative cost sharing: “Beginning 10/01/2026…states will be responsible for 75% of the share, while the federal government will be responsible for 25%.” She gave Virginia figures from 2024—$360 million in administrative costs and $1.8 billion in SNAP allotments—and said Virginia’s 2024 SNAP payment error rate was 11.5 percent, which could translate to an increased state cost if the new state-match rules remain unchanged.

On Medicaid, Bockelman said some provisions mirror SNAP changes: narrower definitions for certain qualified aliens, shortened retroactive coverage periods (one month for expansion population, two months for others) and more frequent redeterminations for the expansion population—every six months rather than every 12 beginning Jan. 1, 2027. She said the expansion population would also face a monthly activity requirement (about 80 hours per month) beginning Dec. 31, 2026, with specified exceptions (pregnancy/postpartum, certain veterans, medically frail, primary caregivers for children under 13, foster youth, and similar categories).

Council members pressed for local impact estimates. Bockelman said the department had not produced a local estimate of people who would lose benefits, noting the statewide figures and adding, “I have not, because…we're pretty good with we're rich with some resources here,” and that other localities may be less able to absorb changes. She also described operational impacts: verification requirements will change. “Our staff just received training this week, and we will be rolling that out for eligibility determination October 1,” she said, describing a move from self-attestation to required documentation (leases, utility bills, landlord statements) for certain expense claims.

Bockelman said state and local staff are awaiting federal and state technical guidance and implementation rules. She described state steps already underway, including targeted trainings and an incentive/disincentive program to reduce SNAP payment error rates, and local efforts such as pre-authorization case-reading and additional supervisory review.

Councilors raised questions about outreach and notices to recipients; Bockelman said the state had not yet issued a broad mass mailing but that targeted correspondence may go to SNAP recipients whose exemptions will change. She and council members agreed public education by the local office and community partners will be critical if changes take effect.

Why it matters: the changes described would affect eligibility, verification, and redetermination practices for thousands of households in the Shenandoah Valley service area and would shift costs and administrative burdens toward state and local agencies if the federal and state rules are implemented as outlined. Council members asked staff to track guidance and returned to operational readiness and outreach planning.

What’s next: Bockelman said the locality is awaiting federal guidance and state policy decisions; the Virginia Department of Social Services is pursuing training, quality-control reforms and vendor options to reduce error rates. Councilors urged continued updates and outreach planning.