Georgia CommonsHR 272: Congress; U.S.D.A. modify eligibility requirements for SNAP Program; adopt legislation
Last action February 20, 2025 · House Second Readers
A Georgia House resolution urges the U.S. Congress to make the U.S. Department of Agriculture count unpaid campus work, like research assistantships and volunteering, toward the work requirement college students need to qualify for SNAP food benefits.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the resolution and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
Under current federal rules, college students generally cannot get SNAP (food stamp) benefits unless they qualify for an exemption, such as working at least 20 paid hours a week. This Georgia House resolution says that rule leaves out students who do similar work without pay, like serving as research assistants, teaching assistants, student organization officers, volunteers, or student ambassadors. The resolution asks the United States Congress to pass legislation directing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to change SNAP eligibility rules so these five types of unpaid campus activities count toward the employment exemption, the same way paid work does now. It does not change Georgia law or federal law itself; it is a formal request. The resolution also directs the Clerk of the House to send copies to Congress.
What the bill does
- Formally asks the U.S. Congress to pass legislation requiring the U.S. Department of Agriculture to change SNAP eligibility rules for college students.
- Specifies five unpaid activities, research assistantships, teaching assistant work, student organization roles, volunteer or community service hours, and student ambassador work, that should count toward the paid-work exemption.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to send copies of the resolution to the United States Congress.
- Does not itself change any Georgia or federal law, since it is a resolution expressing the General Assembly's position rather than a binding statute.
Who it affects
College and university students nationwide who currently do unpaid research, teaching assistant work, student organization leadership, volunteering, or ambassador duties and are seeking SNAP food benefits. It also involves the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Congress, which the resolution addresses directly.
Why it matters
If Congress and the USDA acted on this request, more college students doing unpaid campus work could qualify for SNAP food assistance, potentially easing food insecurity for students who currently fall outside the paid-employment exemption. As a resolution, it carries no legal force on its own and depends entirely on federal action.
Key provisions
- The whereas clauses describe the current federal SNAP rule requiring students to work at least 20 paid hours per week to qualify for an exemption.
- The resolved clause asks Congress to require the USDA to count five specific unpaid activities toward that exemption: research assistantships, teaching assistant work, student organization involvement, volunteer or community service, and student ambassador work.
- A final clause directs the Clerk of the House to distribute copies of the resolution to the United States Congress.
From the bill
“students engaged in such unpaid work and other activities are meaningfully contributing to their campus communities and should have the same eligibility for SNAP benefits as students engaged in paid employment”
“Volunteer and community service hours”
Status timeline
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Lydia Glaize (D, HD-067)
- Robert Dickey (R, HD-134)
- Rick Townsend (R, HD-179)
- Miriam Paris (D, HD-142)
- Lisa Campbell (D, HD-035)
- Debbie Buckner (D, HD-137)
Topics
- SNAP benefits
- college students
- food assistance
- higher education policy