Waiver Process Update - Additional Guidance on Indefinite Waivers

EO Guidance Document #

FNS-GD-2014-0078

Resource type

Policy Memos

Guidance Documents

Resource Materials

Policy Memo (138.33 KB)

DATE:	November 18, 2014
SUBJECT:	Waiver Process Update- Additional Guidance on Indefinite Waivers Expiring April 30, 2015 (Corrected)
TO:	Regional Directors Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program All Regions

On March 20, 2014, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) issued the Waiver Process Update memorandum which revised existing waiver procedures and guidance to eliminate indefinite waiver approvals and minimize inconsistencies in approval requirements for similar waivers. This memo provides additional guidance to state agencies interested in submitting renewal requests for the indefinite waivers expiring April 30, 2015.

FNS has reviewed and analyzed the waivers previously approved indefinitely to assess their effectiveness and identify potential negative impacts to program administration and program access. We have determined that the waivers below provide administrative relief for state agencies and benefit SNAP clients.

In order to streamline the approval process and reduce workload, FNS developed waiver request templates for these common indefinite waivers. The national office strongly encourages state agencies to use the attached templates in order to simplify and expedite the renewal process. State agencies may elect not to use the templates, but should understand that any modification will extend the review process.

In order to ensure the FNS national office has ample time to approve all incoming waiver requests by April 30, 2015, we are asking state agencies to follow the renewal submission schedule below. Waivers submitted outside of the renewal submission schedule will be reviewed in the order in which they are received. Waivers not approved by the national office by May 1, 2015, will expire and state agencies must cease all actions related to the waiver or be responsible for any resulting quality control implications.

Additional waivers previously approved indefinitely are also set to expire on April 30, 2015. The national office will contact the appropriate regional office regarding these waivers under separate cover. We anticipate that the Averaging Student Hours waiver will be addressed in a separate memo granting blanket approvals.

Waiver Type	States with Waivers Expiring April 30, 2015			Date to Submit to National Office	Approval Period
Early Denial	California Colorado Delaware Florida Georgia Iowa Illinois	Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Michigan New Hampshire	New York Rhode Island Tennessee Vermont Virginia Washington Wyoming	1/1/2015	1 year
Interest Income	Arizona Delaware Nebraska	North Carolina North Dakota	Montana South Carolina	2/1/2015	2 years
Reinstatement	Delaware Nebraska	Wisconsin	Utah	3/1/2015	18 months
Shorten Certification Period	Maryland	Oregon	Pennsylvania	3/1/2015	18 months

We encourage regional offices to work with state agencies interested in extending these waivers to ensure they submit requests in accordance with the suggested timeframes. Additional state agencies may apply for the above waivers, but those requests will be processed outside of this timeframe.

Thank you for your cooperation as we work to streamline our waiver processes.

Lizbeth Silbermann
Director
Program Development Division