CEEWB: The Future of SNAP

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• Make the following permanent changes to the SNAP Program: 4. Expand the focus on work for work eligible SNAP households, but emphasize job development, job placement, job retention, sector focused education and skill training development, related to actual available jobs in local communities. As findings are released on the ten state Employment and Training pilots, permanently incorporate those that are effective into the E&T program. 5. Expand available E&T 100 percent funds and broaden the allowable uses of E&T 50/50 match funds to encourage additional state innovation and better coordinate E&T with TANF and other programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). 6. Allow states at their option to change the current 3 in 36 month ABAWD Time Limit work rule to 9 in 36 months and coincide it with the individual’s certification period. Also, do not impose the time limit when no job or available work slot that meets ABAWD requirements can be provided to the individual. 7. Allow states greater flexibility to initiate innovative approaches and impose a time limit on USDA/FNS as to when they must approve or reject state waiver and demonstration requests such as 90-120 days, as current approval or rejection of such requests is often protracted and stifles state innovation. 8. Modernize systems in SNAP as well as system interfaces with other programs, more broadly share available data across programs and increase the emphasis and funding for research regarding what works best in SNAP. 9. Allowable Resources – Current levels are too low and have resulted in the use of Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (Cat-El) by 42 states as a work around with the vast majority using it to eliminate any resource limit. 4 Raising the resource limit for all SNAP

government should provide states with the tools to both prevent this form of fraud and to detect and prosecute it when it occurs. Applicants and recipients need to have the assurance that the information they provide to state SNAP agencies is secure from exploitation by criminal elements. Specific Program Recommendations • Several pilot programs should be enacted and rigorously evaluated for potential future replication based on effectiveness and affordability: 1. Benefit Adequacy - Testing a pilot approach over several years in a single state or large locality by issuing benefits based on the Low-Cost Food Plan rather than TFP with rigorous evaluation as to impact on very low food security. 2. Earnings Disregard -Launch a rigorously evaluated pilot program in diverse geographic areas to test expanding the current Earnings Disregard for working individuals and families from 20 to 30 percent to assist more low- wage working families who are struggling to make ends meet. 3. Purchasing Restrictions -Test a pilot for interested states in geographically diverse areas (urban, rural, suburban) over a three to five-year period prohibiting SNAP dollars from being used to purchase a defined category of unhealthy sugar-sweetened beverages. These pilots would include an independent rigorous evaluation as to whether they lower the purchase of such items overall with resultant positive health outcomes or if families simply substitute non-SNAP funds to purchase the same items. If the pilots are successful, states, at their option could implement such a program without needing demonstration authority.

4 USDA Food and Nutrition Services. (August 2016). Accessible at https://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/snap/BBCE.pdf.