| Chapter 163 |
| 2022 -- S 2317 Enacted 06/27/2022 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ACT |
Introduced By: Senators Sosnowski, Miller, Felag, Lawson, Coyne, and DiPalma |
| Date Introduced: February 15, 2022 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Section 40-6-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 40-6 entitled "Public |
| Assistance Act" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 40-6-8. Supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP). |
| (a) The department shall have the responsibility to administer the food stamp program for |
| the state in compliance with the provisions of the federal Food Stamp Act of 1964, as amended, 7 |
| U.S.C. § 2011 et seq. The supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) is and shall be the |
| new title of the program formerly known as the food stamp program. All references in the Rhode |
| Island general laws to food stamps shall be deemed to mean, apply to, refer to, and be interpreted |
| in accordance with the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP). |
| (b) The department is empowered and authorized to submit its plan for food stamps to the |
| federal government, or any agency or department of it., as follows: |
| (1) The department shall act for the state in any negotiations relative to the submission and |
| approval of a plan, and may make any arrangement or changes in its plan not inconsistent with this |
| chapter that may be required by the Food Stamp Act or the rules and regulations promulgated |
| pursuant to it to obtain and retain such approval and to secure for this state the benefits of the |
| provisions of the federal act relating to food stamps.; |
| (2) The department shall make reports to the federal government, or any agency or |
| department of it, in the form and nature required by it, and in all respects comply with any request |
| or direction of the federal government, or any agency or department of it, that may be necessary to |
| assure the correctness and verification of the reports; and |
| (3) The department shall develop a plan to streamline the application, certification, and |
| recertification process for SNAP beneficiaries aged sixty (60) years and over. |
| (c) The department is authorized and directed to pay one hundred percent (100%) of the |
| state's share of the administrative cost involved in the operation of the food stamp program. |
| (d) No person shall be ineligible for food stamp benefits due solely to the restricted |
| eligibility rules otherwise imposed by § 115(a)(2) of the Personal Responsibility and Work |
| Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Pub. L. No. 104-193), 21 U.S.C. § 862a(a)(2), and as this |
| section may hereafter be amended. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC004642 |
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