Policy memo (139.24 KB)
| DATE: | September 30, 2024 |
| SUBJECT: | Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – Fiscal Year 2025 Allocations of Discretionary Exemptions for Time-Limited Participants (Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents) – Not Adjusted for Carryover |
| TO: | All SNAP State Agencies All Regions |
Section 6(o) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (the Act) limits able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs), commonly referred to as time-limited participants, participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to 3 months in any 36-month period, unless an individual fulfills certain work requirements or is otherwise exempt from the time limit. However, the Act allocates each state agency a number of monthly discretionary exemptions from the time limit for each fiscal year (FY) based on eight percent of a state’s estimated number of covered individuals, as defined in section 6(o)(6)(A)(ii) of the Act.
This memorandum provides estimates of the number of new discretionary exemptions each state agency has earned for FY 2025 in the second column of the attached table. State agencies that operated under a statewide waiver of the time limit during FY 2024 did not earn any exemptions.
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is also including the total discretionary exemptions available for FY 2024 in the third column of the attached table as a helpful reference of the potential total number of discretionary exemptions available to each state agency for FY 2024. FNS first published these figures in the May 1, 2024, memorandum, “Fiscal Year 2024 Allocations of Discretionary Exemptions for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents – Time Limited Participants.” Please bear in mind that the figures in the third column do not account for each state agency’s usage of discretionary exemptions over the course of FY 2024.
While state agencies have great flexibility in applying discretionary exemptions, state agencies must document their application in case records prior to monthly quality control sample selections. As a reminder, state agencies must track their usage of discretionary exemptions on an ongoing basis and report final figures for FY 2024 via the FNS-583 form no later than Monday, Nov. 18th, 2024, 45 days after the end of the reporting period for FY 2024. Subsequently, once all required data is available, FNS will issue an updated memorandum providing the total number of discretionary exemptions available to each state agency for FY 2025 based on caseload adjustments and discretionary exemptions used in FY 2024.
Special Considerations
As a reminder, the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (FRA) reduced discretionary exemptions available to state agencies. As of FY 2024, the FRA decreased discretionary exemptions allocated to state agencies from 12 percent to eight percent. The FRA also limited the carryover of discretionary exemptions between FYs. In FY 2024 and FY 2025, state agencies can continue to carry over unused discretionary exemptions from prior fiscal years. Starting in FY 2026, state agencies’ carryover will be limited to unused discretionary exemptions earned in the previous fiscal year. State agencies with questions should contact their respective regional office representatives.
Catrina L. Kamau
Chief
Certification Policy Branch
Program Development Division
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program