Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “SNAP Empowerment and Accountability Act of 2016”.
SNAP Empowerment and Accountability Act of 2016
A BILL
To provide clarity regarding States’ ability to manage the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) and to provide States with funding to treat drug addiction in the SNAP population.
Sec. 2 Drug testing
Amendment to the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008— Section 5(b) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014(b)) is amended by striking the period at the end by inserting the following:
Amendment to the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996— Section 902 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (21 U.S.C. 862b) is amended—
by inserting “, including supplemental nutrition assistance program benefit recipients,” after “recipients” the 1st place it appears, and
by striking “welfare” the last place it appears.
Sec. 3 Treatment for individuals tested for drug use for eligibility determination under the supplemental nutrition assistance program
In general— The Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shall award grants to States to defray the costs of providing treatment to individuals who test positive for a controlled substance under section 5(b) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014(b)) and who are identified by the States as needing treatment for the abuse of such substance.
Definition— In this section, the term “State” has the meaning given to that term in section 3 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012).
Authorization of appropriations— To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $600,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021.
Sec. 4 Standard utility allowances based on the receipt of energy assistance payments
Standard utility allowance— Section 5 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014) is amended—
in subsection (e)(6)(C)(iv)(I) by striking “$20” and inserting “$50”, and
in subsection (k) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
“(4) Third-party energy assistance payments—For purposes of subsection (d)(1), a payment made under a State law (other than a law referred to in paragraph (2)(G)) to provide energy assistance to a household shall be considered money payable directly to the household.”
Energy assistance threshold amount— Section 2605(f)(2)(A) of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 8624(f)(2)(a)) is amended by striking “$20” and inserting “$50”.
Sec. 5 Effective date; Application of Amendments
Effective date— Except as provided in subsection (b), this Act shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.
Application of amendments— The amendments made by this Act shall not apply with respect to certification periods that begin before the date of the enactment of this Act.