KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – More than 32,000 Kansans have lost food assistance since new SNAP laws took effect, according to anti-hunger advocates and state officials.
The Kansas Department for Children and Families confirmed that nearly 7,000 Kansans lost SNAP benefits in July 2026 alone. Advocates call it the largest single-month drop since the changes began.
What’s Driving the Decline?
The losses stem from two overlapping pieces of legislation, according to DCF and Kansas Appleseed: the federal reconciliation bill known as House Resolution 1 and Kansas House Bill 2731.
Together, advocates and DCF say the laws have dramatically increased the paperwork burden on both applicants and the agency – leading to delayed benefits, failed recertifications and unexpected terminations.
The Federal Law: H.R. 1
H.R. 1 – a sweeping reconciliation bill – made significant changes to SNAP nationwide, including:
Expanded work requirements: The age threshold for able-bodied adults without dependents subject to strict work requirements was raised from 55 to 65 years old. Parents of children 14 and older are now also subject to these requirements, eliminating a previous exemption for those with children under 18. Eliminated waivers: States can no longer request waivers of the three-month SNAP time limit based on insufficient job availability. Waivers are now only available in areas with unemployment rates above 10%. New state cost-sharing: Beginning in FY2028, states with SNAP payment error rates above 6% will be required to pay a portion of SNAP benefit costs – the first time in the program’s history. States with error rates between 8% and 10% must contribute 10% of benefit costs; those at 10% or higher must contribute 15%. Reduced federal administrative funding: Starting in FY2027, the federal government will cover only 25% of SNAP administrative costs, down from 50% – shifting a much larger share to states. Eliminated SNAP Nutrition Education funding: The law eliminates the federal grant program that funded nutrition education and obesity prevention for SNAP-eligible individuals. Restricted utility allowances: Households without elderly or disabled members can no longer use a standard utility allowance tied to energy assistance programs to boost their SNAP benefits. The State Law: HB 2731
Kansas HB 2731 added additional requirements on top of the federal changes, including:
No self-attestation: Applicants can no longer self-report income, residency, age or household composition. All information must be independently verified before enrollment. Expanded work requirements: Kansas extended work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents under 14 years of age up to age 64, mirroring the federal expansion. Data-matching mandates: DCF must now cross-check applicant and enrolee data monthly with vital statistics, the Department of Corrections, and out-of-state EBT transactions and quarterly with the Department of Labor. No agency waivers: State agencies are barred from granting optional exemptions or work requirement waivers for any public assistance program without express approval from the state legislature. Retroactive Medicaid enrollment limited: Retroactive enrollment in Medicaid is now capped at two months prior to the application date. The Impact: By the NumbersMetricFigureKansans who lost SNAP since Sept. 202531,000+Children who lost SNAP since Sept. 202513,600+Kansans who lost SNAP in July 2026 alone7,000Kansas SNAP payment error rate (FY2025) 9.44%Estimated annual cost to Kansas under H.R. 1 error rate penalty$40 million
CDF says September 2025 is the last month reflecting pre-implementation enrollment, as H.R. 1 changes did not take effect in Kansas until October 2025.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)(Action News 5)What Advocates Are Saying
Kansas Appleseed and Harvesters – two of the state’s leading anti-hunger organizations – say families are being cut off without warning, often because they were never notified of new steps required to keep their benefits.
“Beyond the dramatic drop in SNAP participation, we’re concerned about reports of families losing benefits simply because they were never notified about the steps needed to keep them,” notes Josh Powers, Public Policy and Advocacy Strategist for Harvesters. ”These are families who depend on this support to put food on the table for themselves and their children, and when that support disappears without warning or explanation, it creates real hardship for people who were otherwise doing exactly what they were required to.”
“The nearly 7,000-person drop in the most recent month is by far the largest single-month decline we have seen since H.R. 1 was enacted, and it should raise serious questions about what is happening to vulnerable low-income families, seniors and disabled individuals across our state,” adds Haley Kottler, Director for Kansas Appleseed. “The paperwork requirements appear to be overwhelming not only for our neighbors who are struggling to feed their families, but DCF as well. We can not let red tape keep kids, seniors, and families from getting the critical nutrition they need.”
What DCF Is Saying
DCF acknowledges the sharp decline and says it is likely the result of increased administrative burdens created by both federal and state legislation.
“DCF requested increased funds to be able to provide the same quality of service to Kansans despite increased workloads; unfortunately, the legislature did not provide that additional funding, and Kansans are suffering because of it,” says Erin La Row, Deputy Director of Media Relations for DCF.
DCF adds that it warned the state legislature during the 2026 session that combining H.R. 1 with HB 2731 would result in additional administrative work and costs.
The agency has not yet completed a comprehensive analysis of the specific causes of the caseload drop.
What Comes Next
Kansas Appleseed is calling on DCF to take immediate steps to address processing delays and ensure eligible Kansans receive timely benefits.
The organization is also urging state and federal leaders to provide DCF with the resources and flexibility needed to implement the new requirements without cutting off eligible recipients.
Under H.R. 1, Kansas faces a potential $40 million annual penalty beginning in FY2028 if it does not reduce its SNAP payment error rate below 8%
The state’s current error rate of 9.44% would place it in the 10% cost-sharing tier.
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