This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposes to amend the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (formerly the Food Stamp Program) regulations to implement Section 4116 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the Farm Bill). Section 4116 of the Farm Bill, Review of Major Changes in Program Design, requires USDA identify standards for major changes in operations of state agencies' administration of SNAP.
The provision also requires state agencies to notify the Department if they implement a major change in operations and to collect data that can be used to identify and correct problems relating to integrity and access, particularly by certain vulnerable households. This NPRM proposes criteria for changes that would be considered "major changes'' in program operations and identifies the types of data state agencies must collect in order to identify problems relating to integrity and access. It also proposes when and how state agencies must report on implementation of a major change.
This NPRM proposes to amend the Management Evaluation (ME) Review regulations by modifying the requirements for federal and state reviews of state agency operations. It also proposes to revise the definitions of large, medium and small project areas. Finally, it proposes to remove sections of the regulations pertaining to coupons and coupon storage since they are obsolete.