More than 42,000 Kentuckians have lost Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits since implementation of the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," according to a report from the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy. The losses represent roughly one in 14 SNAP recipients in the state, with children making up about 26 percent of those affected.

The report from the Public News Service highlights growing concerns about the law's impact on Kentucky's food security. Jessica Klein, senior policy associate at the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, emphasized the broader implications of losing federal food assistance. "When people lose their grocery money through SNAP, that puts huge amounts of pressure on food banks and churches that try to fill the gap, and the answer is that they can't fill that gap," Klein said.

President Donald Trump signed the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," also known as H.R. 1, into law on July 4, 2025. The legislation implemented stricter work reporting requirements and eliminated eligibility for many lawfully present immigrants, including refugees, people granted asylum and survivors of trafficking. As of May 2026, the law has put food assistance at risk for an additional 114,000 Kentuckians, including working parents with low-paying jobs, children, older adults on fixed incomes, former foster youth and veterans.

SNAP recipients across the state receive an average of about $5.50 per day in benefits. The loss of such assistance has particularly affected Kentucky's refugee population, with approximately 7,000 refugees losing eligibility under new rules effective as of November 2025.

Klein noted that SNAP data is used to determine eligibility for other federal programs, meaning school nutrition funding could also be at risk. The law shifted additional costs to states beginning in 2027 or 2028, when Kentucky and other states must examine their payment error rates to determine how much they will pay to continue administering the program. Klein expressed concern about broader economic consequences. "We know that SNAP improves health," she said. "Without SNAP, that means higher costs for our health care system. And SNAP is also a generator for local economies."