EATS Act of 2023

To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to remove certain eligibility disqualifications that restrict otherwise eligible students from participating in the supplemental nutrition assistance program, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Enhance Access To SNAP Act of 2023 EATS Act of 2023 2. Student eligibility under supplemental nutrition assistance program (a) Definition of household Section 3(m)(5) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2012(m)(5) (F) Individuals who are bona fide students enrolled at least half time in any recognized school, training program, or institution of higher education. . (b) Conditions of participation Section 6 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2015 (1) in subsection (d)(2)(C), by striking (except that any such person enrolled in an institution of higher education shall be ineligible to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program unless he or she meets the requirements of subsection (e) of this section) (2) by striking subsection (e); and (3) by redesignating subsections (f) through (s) as subsections (e) through (r), respectively. (c) Conforming amendments (1) Section 5 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2014 (A) in subsection (a), in the second sentence, by striking (g), and (r) (f), and (q) (B) in subsection (i)(1), in the first sentence, by striking section 6(f)(2)(B) of this Act section 6(e)(2)(B) (2) Section 6 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2015 (A) in subsection (d)(4)— (i) in subparagraph (B)(ii)(I)(bb)(DD), by striking subsection (o) subsection (n) (ii) in subparagraph (N), by striking subsection (o) subsection (n) (B) in paragraph (1)(B) of subsection (q) (as so redesignated), by striking subsection (k) subsection (j) (3) Section 7(i)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2016(i)(1) section 6(o)(2) section 6(n)(2) (4) Section 11 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2020 (A) in subsection (e)— (i) in paragraph (2)(B)(v)(II), by striking section 6(f) section 6(e) (ii) in paragraph (22), by striking section 6(i) section 6(h) (B) in subsection (n), by striking section 6(g) section 6(f) (5) Section 16(h) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2025(h) (A) in paragraph (1)— (i) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking section 6(o) section 6(n) (ii) in subparagraph (E)— (I) by striking section 6(o)(3) section 6(n)(3) (II) by striking section 6(o)(2) section 6(n)(2) (III) in clause (ii)— (aa) in subclause (III), by striking section 6(o)(4) section 6(n)(4) (bb) in subclause (IV), by striking section 6(o)(6) section 6(n)(6) (iii) in subparagraph (F)(ii)(III)(ee)(AA), by striking section 6(o) section 6(n) (B) in paragraph (5)(C)(iv)(I), by striking section 6(o)(2) section 6(n)(2) (6) Section 17(m) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2026(m) (A) by striking (l) through (n) (k) through (m) (B) in paragraph (2)(E), by striking section 6(l)(2) section 6(k)(2) (7) Section 103(a)(2)(D) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act ( 29 U.S.C. 3113(a)(2)(D) 6(o) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2015(o) 6(n) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2015(n) (8) Section 121(b)(2)(B)(iv) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act ( 29 U.S.C. 3151(b)(2)(B)(iv) 6(o) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2015(o) 6(n) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2015(n) (9) Section 454 of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 654 (A) in paragraph (4)(A)(i)(IV), by striking 6(l)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2015(l)(1) 6(k)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2015(k)(1) (B) in paragraph (6)(B)(i), by striking subsection (l) or (m) of section 6 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 subsection (k) or (l) of section 6 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2015 (C) in paragraph (29)(A)— (i) by striking section 3(h) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2012(h) section 3 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2012 (ii) in clause (ii), by striking section 6(l)(2) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2015(l)(2) section 6(k)(2) of that Act ( 7 U.S.C. 2015(k)(2) 3. Effective date This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect on January 2, 2024.

Summary: Enhance Access To SNAP Act of 2023 or the EATS Act of 2023 This bill expands eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for certain students. Specifically, the bill removes the restriction on SNAP eligibility for students to allow otherwise eligible students who are attending institutions of higher education (IHEs) at least half time to participate in SNAP. Under current law, students 18-49 years old are restricted, with exceptions, from participating in SNAP. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 temporarily exempted some students from certain SNAP eligibility requirements; these temporary student exemptions are currently scheduled to expire after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency on May 11, 2023. Further, the bill provides that students enrolled at least half time in a recognized school, training program, or IHE constitute individual households (not residents of institutions) and may be eligible for SNAP benefits. (Participation in SNAP is limited to households.)