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County officials warn SNAP changes could mean more local costs and work requirements for thousands
Summary
Deputy administrator Bridget Nugent and DSS Commissioner Britney Earl briefed the legislature on federal HR1 changes expanding SNAP work requirements; New York faces higher administrative costs and possible penalties while Tompkins County officials estimate thousands of recipients will be affected and county staffing and program resources must expand.
County administration and social services staff told the Tompkins County Legislature that federal changes to SNAP under HR1 will broaden the population subject to work requirements and increase local administrative responsibilities.
"As of December 2025, Tompkins County has 6,953 individuals in 4,447 households receiving SNAP," Deputy County Administrator Bridget Nugent reported. Officials said roughly 3,500 of those households include at least one member who may fall under the expanded requirements, and about 1,700 recipients will need to meet an exemption or comply with able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWD) rules.
Bridget Nugent and Commissioner Britney Earl said counties’ share of SNAP administrative costs will increase from 50% to 75% beginning in October, and the state has estimated a $170,000,000 increase in recurring annual costs statewide. Speakers cautioned that New York’s SNAP payment error rate (14.1% in 2024) exposes the state to potential fiscal penalties up to 15% of total benefits — officials said that penalty represents a large statewide fiscal risk and that how penalties would be apportioned to counties is not yet settled.
Staff outlined the operational changes: affected recipients will face an 80-hours-per-month work or qualifying-activities threshold (employment, training, job search, approved volunteering, or job-readiness programs) after the waiver and a three-month grace period. Commissioner Earl said county DSS is building a platform with partner agencies to list qualifying work, training and volunteer opportunities and is coordinating with TCAT and community partners to help address transportation and documentation barriers.
Legislators pressed for local impact figures and how to assist constituents; staff offered to provide county-level benefit totals and urged constituents with case-specific questions to contact their DSS worker. Officials said the first countable months will start in March and impacts to benefits could begin in June 2026, and that DSS expects to request at least one additional social-welfare examiner as vacancies are filled to handle the increased workload.
The briefing concluded with a call to legislative advocacy: staff asked the legislature to voice concerns at state and federal levels and to help connect constituents to DSS resources.
