§2035 Simplified supplemental nutrition assistance program

Summary

Allows a State to run a simplified version of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for the whole State or for part of it, if the State chooses. Only households where at least some members get a State program funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act may take part: households with none of their members getting that State aid cannot join, households where all members get that State aid are automatically eligible, and mixed households (some members get the State aid and some do not) can join only if the Secretary approves. The State decides how to figure benefit amounts using rules from that State program, from SNAP, or a mix of both, but must get a plan approved by the Secretary first. The Secretary will approve the plan if it follows this law and shows it will not raise Federal costs. The Secretary checks whether the program raises Federal costs, will not ask the State for data on households not in the program, and can allow different accounting periods. If the program does raise Federal costs the Secretary must tell the State within 30 days; the State then has 90 days to give a fix-it plan. If the State fails, the Secretary ends the approval and the State cannot run such a program again. States may use the State program or SNAP rules, may set a standard deduction (considering work, child care, and housing costs), and must follow other listed program rules. A household cannot get benefits just because it is eligible under the State program unless the Secretary ensures no household above 130 percent of the poverty guidelines is allowed in. Two defined terms: "Federal costs" — does not include any Federal costs under section 2026; "Program" — the simplified SNAP option a State chooses to run.