HLS 16RS-1156 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 664
BY REPRESENTATIVE BROADWATER
SNAP/FOOD STAMPS: Provides relative to the SNAP workforce training and education
initiative
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact the heading of Subpart E-4 of Part II of Chapter 3 of Title 46 of the
3 Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, R.S. 46:321(2), (4), and (5), 322(4),
4 323(introductory paragraph), 324(A) and (B), 326(A) and (B), 327, and 328, to enact
5 R.S. 46:321(6), and to repeal R.S. 46:322(5), 324(C) through (E), 325, and 326(C)
6 through (E), relative to a workforce training and education initiative within the
7 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); to delete the term "pilot" from
8 the name of the initiative; to revise findings, definitions, goals, and functions
9 pertaining to the initiative; to provide for duties of the Department of Children and
10 Family Services and the Louisiana Workforce Commission with respect to the
11 initiative; and to provide for related matters.
12Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
13 Section 1. The heading of Subpart E-4 of Part II of Chapter 3 of Title 46 of the
14Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, R.S. 46:321(2), (4), and (5), 322(4), 323(introductory
15paragraph), 324(A) and (B), 326(A) and (B), 327, and 328 are hereby amended and
16reenacted and R.S. 46:321(6) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
17 SUBPART E-4. SNAP WORKFORCE TRAINING
18 AND EDUCATION PILOT INITIATIVE
19 §321. Findings
20 The legislature hereby finds and declares the following:
21 * * *
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1 (2) The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as
2 "food stamps" and referred to hereafter as "SNAP", provides crucial support to needy
3 households and to persons making the transition from welfare to work. Nearly half
4 of all SNAP recipients are children and an additional twenty-five percent of SNAP
5 recipients are adults living with children.
6 * * *
7 (4) Federal regulations (7 CFR 273.24) limit the duration of receipt of SNAP
8 benefits by nonworking, able-bodied adults without dependents who do not qualify
9 for certain exemptions to a total of three months in any three-year period. However,
10 states may submit to the federal government applications, commonly known as
11 "waivers", to have this three-month limit waived. If approved, such waivers allow
12 able-bodied, nonworking, nonexempt adults to receive SNAP benefits for an
13 unlimited duration provided that those persons meet other eligibility standards of the
14 program. For the past nineteen years, Louisiana has requested this particular SNAP
15 waiver for which it qualified each year due to high unemployment rates. For twelve
16 of those years, Louisiana qualified for a statewide waiver and for seven years, most
17 Louisiana parishes qualified for the waiver. However, due to the number of
18 exemptions available under the federal program to Louisiana, in each of the past
19 nineteen years, Louisiana has administered this SNAP waiver on a statewide basis.
20 Nationally, waivers of this type have become the standard in SNAP rather than the
21 exception, as forty ten states and territories, including Louisiana, had a statewide or
22 territory-wide waiver in effect and six twenty-seven other states and territories had
23 a partial-state or partial-territory waiver in effect as of January 1, 2014 for the quarter
24 beginning January 1, 2016.
25 (5) Able-bodied but SNAP-eligible adults without dependents comprise less
26 than ten percent of persons who receive SNAP benefits in Louisiana.
27 (6) When coordinated and delivered in an effective manner, workforce
28 training services for public assistance recipients can be of great value to persons who
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1 desire to become self-sufficient and to businesses that strive for greater
2 competitiveness through employing an improved workforce.
3 §322. Definitions
4 As used in this Subpart, the following terms have the meaning ascribed to
5 them in this Section:
6 * * *
7 (4) "Participant" means a recipient of SNAP benefits who participates in the
8 pilot initiative provided for in this Subpart. receives such benefits as an able-bodied
9 adult without dependents pursuant to 7 CFR 273.24.
10 * * *
11 §323. Goals
12 The goals of the pilot initiative shall include, without limitation, the
13 following:
14 * * *
15 §324. Workforce training and education pilot initiative; creation; functions
16 A. A In preparation for any period in which Louisiana does not have in place
17 a federally approved SNAP ABAWD time limit waiver as described in R.S.
18 46:321(4), a workforce training and education pilot initiative is hereby created within
19 SNAP for the purpose of improving employment opportunities for nonworking
20 SNAP recipients and enhancing workforce readiness. The department shall
21 administer the pilot initiative in accordance with the provisions of this Subpart.
22 B. The department shall establish the pilot initiative in a parish with a
23 population of more than one hundred thousand and less than one hundred fifty
24 thousand according to the latest federal decennial census and in which is located the
25 main campus of a public four-year college or university. The department and the
26 Louisiana Workforce Commission shall jointly develop and implement such
27 additional workforce training and education requirements for ABAWD recipients as
28 may be permissible under federal regulations governing SNAP.
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1 §326. Duties of the department
2 A. The department shall submit to FNS applications for any waiver,
3 exemption, or other formal authorization and any state plan amendment as may be
4 necessary to implement the pilot initiative provided for in this Subpart. Such
5 submissions by the department to FNS shall provide for all of the following:
6 (1) Reinstatement in the parish in which the pilot initiative is established of
7 the limit on receipt of SNAP benefits of three months in a three-year period for
8 ABAWDs.
9 (2) Establishment of benefit extensions in six-month increments for
10 participants who meet workforce training or education requirements of the pilot
11 initiative.
12 (3) Any other functions as may be necessary for the department to establish
13 and operate the pilot initiative in a manner which conforms with applicable federal
14 and state laws and regulations.
15 B. The department shall enter into any cooperative endeavor agreements,
16 contracts, and other arrangements with the Louisiana Workforce Commission, other
17 government agency, and any community partner as may be necessary to ensure
18 adequate availability of workforce training to participants in the any parish in which
19 the pilot initiative is established.
20 §327. Notification to legislative committees; reporting
21 A. After receiving federal approval as provided in R.S. 46:328 and before
22 commencement of the pilot initiative, the department shall transmit to the members
23 of the House Committee on Health and Welfare and to the members of the Senate
24 Committee on Health and Welfare a written notice that addresses the purpose and
25 function of the pilot initiative and indicates the commencement date of the initiative.
26 The department may transmit the notice required by this Subsection via electronic
27 mail.
28 B. No later than twelve months after commencement of the pilot initiative,
29 and at least annually thereafter, the department shall submit a written report
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1 providing a summary and evaluation of outcomes of the pilot initiative to the House
2 Committee on Health and Welfare and the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare.
3 The department may include the report with its submission of any other report
4 pertaining to SNAP, including without limitation any report required by Subpart E-2
5 of this Part.
6 §328. Effectiveness contingent upon federal approval; termination
7 A. Implementation of the pilot initiative shall be contingent upon approval
8 by FNS.
9 B.(1) Subject to legislative oversight as provided in the Administrative
10 Procedure Act, R.S. 49:950 et seq., the department may terminate the pilot initiative
11 by emergency rule if the secretary of the department determines that workforce
12 participation outcomes or educational attainment have not improved to a satisfactory
13 degree as a result of the initiative.
14 (2) The secretary of the department is hereby authorized and directed to
15 collaborate with the executive director of the Louisiana Workforce Commission in
16 workforce participation outcomes evaluation prior to issuing any emergency rule to
17 terminate the pilot initiative.
18 Section 2. R.S. 46:322(5), 324(C) through (E), 325, and 326(C) through (E) are
19hereby repealed in their entirety.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 664 Original 2016 Regular Session Broadwater
Abstract: Revises provisions relative to the workforce training and education initiative
within the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Present law creates and provides for a workforce training and education pilot initiative to be
administered by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) within the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as "food stamps" and referred
to hereafter as SNAP) for the purpose of improving employment opportunities for
nonworking SNAP recipients and enhancing workforce readiness. Provides that DCFS shall
establish the initiative in a parish with a population between 100,000 and 150,000 and in
which is located the main campus of a public four-year college or university.
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Proposed law deletes "pilot" from the name of the initiative and deletes provisions for
parish-specific administration of the initiative. Provides that DCFS shall enter into any
agreements, contracts, and other arrangements with the La. Workforce Commission, other
government agency, and any community partner as may be necessary to ensure adequate
availability of workforce training to participants in any parish in which the initiative is
established.
Proposed law revises findings, definitions, goals, and functions pertaining to the initiative
as necessary for conformity with proposed law providing that the endeavor is no longer a
parish-specific pilot initiative. Otherwise, retains present law.
(Amends the heading of Subpart E-4 of Part II of Ch. 3 of Title 46 of the La. R.S. of 1950,
R.S. 46:321(2), (4), and (5), 322(4), 323(intro. para.), 324(A) and (B), 326(A) and (B), 327,
and 328; Adds R.S. 46:321(6); Repeals R.S. 46:322(5), 324(C)-(E), 325, and 326(C)-(E))
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