SNAP Administrator Retention Act of 2025
The SNAP Administrator Retention Act of 2025 would change how the federal government funds and staffs the administration of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). It amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to (1) require state SNAP agencies to pay their staff at wages no lower than the federal pay scale for equivalent positions and to adjust those wages annually, and (2) authorize 100% federal reimbursement of state administrative personnel costs related to SNAP, provided states submit and implement approved wage plans and use the funds to supplement non-Federal funds and hire more staff above a 2024 baseline. The overall goal is to improve staffing quality and reduce turnover in SNAP administration. In short, the bill aims to expand federal funding for SNAP administration and set minimum wage standards for state agency personnel, with a formal process for approving state wage plans and ensuring funding is used to expand rather than replace existing funding. It would likely increase federal outlays for SNAP administration and create new requirements for how states recruit, train, and retain SNAP staff.
Key Points
- 1Purpose and scope: Amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to improve SNAP administration staffing and retention by increasing the federal cost share and setting wage standards for state staff.
- 2Wage standards (l): By no later than 1 year after enactment, state SNAP personnel must be paid at least the rate for federal employees under the applicable federal pay scale (GS/pay system) and must be updated annually to reflect any increases, including locality adjustments.
- 3Administrative cost-sharing (m): The Secretary must reimburse each state agency 100% of its administrative SNAP personnel costs, once a wage plan is approved. This includes costs for processing, hiring, training, maintaining staff, and complying with wage standards.
- 4Wage plan approvals: States must submit a personnel wage plan within 1 year of enactment, detailing position titles, duties, wages, and appropriate pay rates for employees.
- 5Maintenance of effort and use of funds: Federal payments are contingent on the state using funds to supplement, not replace, non-Federal funds for existing administrative costs, and to fund existing or additional full-time equivalent positions above the 2024 level in the relevant state or sub-state area.
- 6Legal cross-references: The bill adjusts references in Section 16 of the Food and Nutrition Act to include the new subsections (l) and (m), facilitating the wage standards and cost-sharing changes.