§326. Duties of the department

A. The department shall submit to FNS applications for any waiver, exemption, or other formal authorization and any state plan amendment as may be necessary to implement the pilot initiative provided for in this Subpart. Such submissions by the department to FNS shall provide for all of the following:

(1) Reinstatement in the parish in which the pilot initiative is established of the limit on receipt of SNAP benefits of three months in a three-year period for ABAWDs.

(2) Establishment of benefit extensions in six-month increments for participants who meet workforce training or education requirements of the pilot initiative.

(3) Any other functions as may be necessary for the department to establish and operate the pilot initiative in a manner which conforms with applicable federal and state laws and regulations.

B. The department shall enter into any cooperative endeavor agreements, contracts, and other arrangements with the Louisiana Workforce Commission, any other government agency, and any community partner as may be necessary to ensure adequate availability of workforce training to participants in the parish in which the pilot initiative is established.

C. The department shall institute all departmental policies and procedures necessary to ensure that the process for SNAP benefits eligibility redetermination in the parish in which the pilot initiative is established meets all of the following requirements:

(1) Eligibility redetermination for each participant occurs no less frequently than once every six months.

(2) Eligibility redetermination for each participant includes a procedure for collecting and verifying documentation from the participant of his engagement in a workforce training or education activity as provided in R.S. 46:324.

D.(1)(a) Prior to commencement of the pilot initiative, the department shall transmit notice in writing to all ABAWDs in the parish in which the pilot initiative is established indicating that continuation of benefits beyond the three-month limit that is to be reinstated will be conditioned upon engagement by participants in acceptable workforce training or education activities.

(b) On separate days prior to commencement of the pilot initiative, the department may transmit to ABAWDs in the parish in which the pilot initiative is established duplicates of the notice provided for in Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph, and may take any other actions it deems necessary to provide ABAWDs with adequate notification of the changes in SNAP benefits eligibility to be instituted through the pilot initiative.

(2) Within two weeks of commencement of the pilot initiative, the department shall transmit to each participant a form that provides a clear description of requirements for continuation of benefits eligibility to be instituted through the pilot initiative, and a space in which the participant may affirmatively acknowledge that he understands these requirements.

(3) During the operation of the pilot initiative, the department shall promptly notify each participant of any decision concerning his eligibility for SNAP benefits made pursuant to the redetermination process provided for in Subsection C of this Section.

E. The secretary of the department shall promulgate all rules and regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this Subpart.

Acts 2014, No. 622, §1; Acts 2018, No. 206, §5.