STATE OF ALASKA

Department of Health

Division of Public Assistance

Transmittal Number: 2025-04

Manual: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Date: 12/01/2025

Revised ABAWDAble-bodied Adult Without Dependents policy to align with Alaska's Good Faith Exemption waiver, allowed under the provisions of the 2025 Reconciliation Bill (H.R. 1). This includes updated designations of exempt and non-exempt areas for the new waiver period: 11/01/25 - 10/31/26.

This update also includes policy revisions to Eligible Alien Status to align with the provisions from H.R. 1, further clarified in the Food and Nutrition Services memo dated 10/31/2025.

This year the Social Security Administration announces a Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) increase effective January 2026, which increased the payee fee that can be excluded as unearned income.

Highlights of these and other policy revisions are described below. If you have any questions, please contact the Policy & Program Development team at hss.dpa.policy@alaska.gov.

OVERVIEW OF CHANGES

MS 600-2      DEFINITIONS

• Added definitions for terms "Indian", "Urban Indian", and "California Indian".

MS 601-4      VERIFICATION

• Replaced WINSTARState of Alaska Child Support Enforcement Division System with ACSESSAlaska Child Support Enforcement Services System.

MS 602-1(D)      US CITIZENSHIP AND ELIGIBLE ALIEN STATUS

• Revised non-citizen eligibility policies, consistent with the provisions outlined in H.R. 1 and incorporating updated guidance from FNSFood and Nutrition Service.

MS 602-1(L)      ABLE-BODIED ADULTS WITHOUT DEPENDENTS (ABAWDs)

• Revised allowable ABAWDAble-bodied Adult Without Dependents exemptions consistent with Alaska's Good Faith Waiver exemptions from the provisions outlined in H.R. 1.

MS 602-3(B)      UNEARNED INCOME

• Updated payee fees to reflect COLACost of Living Allowance change.

MS 605-6      CATEGORICAL ELIGIBILITY

• Revised subsection to specify only CECategorical Eligibility households have certain factors of eligibility verified by another program, and that BBCEBroad Based Categorical Eligibility households must have ALL factors of eligibility verified.

Addendum 2      ABAWD WORK REQUIREMENT EXEMPT AND NON-EXEMPT AREAS

• Updated ABAWD exempt and non-exempt areas to reflect the revised ABAWD waiver, effective 11/01/2025 - 10/31/2026.

Addendum 6      DOCUMENTATION OF ELIGIBLE ALIEN STATUS

• Removed and reserved this section for future use. All information previously located in this Addendum can be found in MS 602-1(D).

Addendum 8      LIST OF COMMUNITIES BY CENSUS AREAS

• Revised borough and census areas based on changes made by the Department of Labor.