Which states have expanded SNAP categorical eligibility or waived asset tests in 2025?

1. What federal rules say and why this matters

States can use “broad‑based categorical eligibility” to raise income limits and waive or relax asset tests for SNAP; the USDA explains that BBCE affects whether households must meet state income and resource limits ^[1]. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 changed several SNAP eligibility factors (work rules and non‑citizen rules) and prompted FNS memos to states about implementation, but those materials focus on who qualifies and when changes are effective rather than publishing a current roll‑call of states that adopted BBCE expansions in 2025 ^{[2] [1]}.

2. What reporting documents about 2025 SNAP changes

Multiple sources document sweeping SNAP changes implemented in 2025: expanded work requirements and tightened non‑citizen eligibility were enacted and rolled out in late 2025, and USDA published FY2026 cost‑of‑living adjustments effective Oct. 1, 2025 ^{[3] [4] [5]}. These national changes increase the policy salience of state decisions about asset tests and BBCE because more households face new eligibility screens or time limits ^{[5] [3]}.

3. State action on asset tests: long trend, not a 2025 roll call

Longstanding coverage shows many states have already reduced or eliminated SNAP asset limits over recent years; analyses and advocacy papers document states’ use of administrative options to loosen asset tests and adopt BBCE ^{[6] [7] [8]}. But the provided sources do not list which states changed SNAP asset test policies specifically in calendar year 2025 — reporting focuses on prior trends and specific state examples ^{[6] [7]}. Therefore, a definitive list of 2025 state actions is not available in these materials (not found in current reporting).

4. Related state examples and adjacent program moves

Some state actions on asset tests are documented for related programs: California had eliminated Medi‑Cal asset tests in 2024 and advocacy groups reported elimination increased security for older adults and people with disabilities — but reporting also shows California moved to reinstate a Medi‑Cal asset test effective 2026 in some coverage, illustrating that state trajectories can reverse and that Medicaid and SNAP actions are related but not identical ^{[9] [10] [11]}. These examples show why up‑to‑date, program‑specific checks are necessary: Medicaid changes do not automatically equal SNAP changes ^{[10] [11]}.

5. How to get an authoritative, up‑to‑date answer

USDA FNS maintains guidance and a BBCE list and directs states on implementation; the CBPP and FNS pages referenced here point readers to USDA’s BBCE resource for state lists ^{[3] [1]}. To determine which states expanded BBCE or waived asset tests in 2025 specifically, consult: USDA Food and Nutrition Service BBCE pages or state SNAP agency websites and official FNS information memoranda that were issued around mid‑2025 and after enactment of OBBB ^{[3] [2]}.

6. Conflicting perspectives and policy stakes

Advocates frame eliminating asset tests or expanding BBCE as increasing program access, simplifying administration and letting families save without losing benefits ^{[10] [8]}. Opponents and some federal legislation seek stricter limits and new work or eligibility rules (the 2025 federal law expanded work requirements and tightened non‑citizen eligibility), which can cut caseloads and reduce costs; federal memos stressed immediate application of certain OBBB provisions on enactment ^{[2] [3]}. Both views appear across the sources and shape why state choices on BBCE/asset tests matter now ^{[3] [8]}.

Limitations: available sources do not enumerate which states made BBCE/asset‑test changes in 2025; they provide federal rule context, historical state trends, and spot examples but not a 2025 state‑by‑state inventory (not found in current reporting). For a precise list, consult USDA FNS’s BBCE resources and individual state SNAP agency notices cited by USDA ^{[3] [1]}.