This is a new collection for the contract Assessment of Mobile Technologies for Using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefits (Mobile Payment Pilot evaluation). The purpose of the Mobile Payment Pilot evaluation is to assess the effects of five pilot projects that will allow SNAP participants to use mobile payments to purchase food as an alternate option to a physical electronic benefit transfer card.
FNS seeks comments on its plans to study the use of mobile payment technology for accessing SNAP benefits through smart phones, tablets, and other personal mobile devices in place of EBT cards.
This document informs the public that the FNS is withdrawing the proposed rule titled Revision of Categorical Eligibility in SNAP that published in the Federal Register on July 24, 2019.
This is a revision of a currently approved information collection for Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer for the reporting burden associated with administering P-EBT.
USDA proposes updating the regulations to refine categorical eligibility requirements based on receipt of TANF benefits. Specifically, the Department proposes: (1) to define “benefits” for categorical eligibility to mean ongoing and substantial benefits; and (2) to limit the types of non-cash TANF benefits conferring categorical eligibility to those that focus on subsidized employment, work supports and childcare. The proposed rule would also require state agencies to inform FNS of all non-cash TANF benefits that confer categorical eligibility.
FNS is updating the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program regulations to set implementation parameters, prerequisites and operational standards required of state agencies that intend to implement the photo Electronic Benefit Transfer card option provided under Section 7(h)(9) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008.
This information collection package consists of five components of state agency reporting and/or recordkeeping: a budget projection statement, a program activity report, state plans of operation updates, waiver requests and other plans and submissions such as advance planning documents for information systems and for electronic benefit transfer systems.
Under Section 7(h)(9) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended (the Act), states have the option to require that a SNAP Electronic Benefit Transfer card contains a photo of one or more household members.
FNS is interested in identifying ways to stimulate increased competition in the Electronic Benefit Transfer marketplace and identify procurement or systems features that are barriers to new entrants.
The Food and Nutrition Service is adopting as a final rule, without change, a direct final rule that made changes to SNAP regulations to account for the replacement of the paper coupon issuance system with the Electronic Benefits Transfer system as the nationwide method of distributing benefits to program participants.