FNS Documents & Resources

The Food and Nutrition Service is proposing to revise Food Stamp Program regulations that cover the collection and reporting of racial/ethnic data by state agencies on persons receiving benefits from the FSP. The proposed changes are to comply with new racial/ethnic data collection standards issued by the Office of Management and Budget while also providing regulatory flexibility and reform for this area of the program regulations.

This action will revise Food Stamp Program regulations affecting the administrative review process available to retail and wholesale firms participating in the Food Stamp Program. It proposes to streamline and make technical corrections to this process by amending portions of current regulations. The changes will eliminate repetitious, outdated and unnecessary provisions without taking away a firm’s right to an administrative review. This rule also proposes to make technical corrections.

A letter about the summary of state options to urge full consideration of food stamp policy options, which can improve customer service and streamline program administration.

This rule finalizes food stamp provisions to enhance state flexibility in exempting portions of a state agency's caseload from the food stamp time limit and to increase significantly the funding available to create work opportunities for recipients who are subject to the time limit, as well as finalizing significant changes to current work rules. 

This memorandum encourages those state agencies that have not already done so to consider seriously adopting provisions currently available to simplify operations and improve program access for households with earnings.

Noncitizens who were receiving food stamps on Aug. 22, 1996, will not lose benefits due to their immigration status until at least April 22, 1997. If, for example, a person moves to another state or has a break in eligibility because of something unrelated to his or her noncitizen status (such as a temporary increase in earnings) and applies again before April 1, 1997, the new noncitizen eligibility requirements would not apply.

The Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act makes a significant change to implementation of the food stamp eligibility provisions for noncitizens of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.

This letter describes the new statutory requirements for state agency implementation of the Food Stamp Program provisions of PL 104-193, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. We are also providing information regarding proposed and interim rules the FCS will publish and guidance relating to the Simplified Program option, FCS waiver authority, and quality control.

This policy memo supersedes the first question in Policy Memo 86-21. The change is being made to increase flexibility in reporting in this area.