§273.14. Recertification. — Inbound Citations

(3) The reduction, suspension or cancellation of allotments in a given month shall have no effect on the certification periods assigned to households. Those participating households whose certification periods expire during a month in which allotments have been reduced, suspended or cancelled shall be recertified according to the provisions of § 273.14. Households found eligible to participate during a month in which allotments have been reduced, suspended or cancelled shall have certification periods assigned in accordance with the provisions of § 273.10.

(i) The State agency shall complete the application process and approve or deny timely applications for recertification in accordance with § 273.14 of the SNAP regulations. A face-to-face interview shall be waived if requested by a household consisting entirely of SSI participants unable to appoint an authorized representative. The State agency shall provide SSI households with a notice of expiration in accordance with § 273.14(b), except that such notification shall inform households consisting entirely of SSI recipients that they are entitled to a waiver of a face-to-face interview if the household is unable to appoint an authorized representative.

(c) When a household leaves TANF, MOE, or SFCA program, the State agency at its option may end the household's existing certification period and assign the household a new certification period that conforms to the transitional period. The recertification requirements at § 273.14 that would normally apply when the household's certification period ends must be postponed until the end of the new certification period. If the transitional period results in a shortening of the household's certification period, the State agency shall not issue a household a notice of adverse action under § 273.10(f)(4) but shall specify in the transitional notice required under § 273.29 that the household must be recertified when it reaches the end of the transitional benefit period or if it returns to TANF, MOE, or SFCA program during the transitional period.

(h) Applications for recertification submitted in the final month of the transitional period must be processed in accordance with § 273.14.

(b) Recertify the household in accordance with § 273.14. If the household has not reached the maximum number of months in its certification period during the transitional period, the State agency may shorten the household's prior certification period in order to recertify the household. When shortening the household's certification period pursuant to this section, the State agency must send the household a notice of expiration in accordance with § 273.14(b).

(C) For households provided a notice of expiration at the time of certification, as required in § 273.14(b), the notice of eligibility may be combined with the notice of expiration or separate notices may be sent.

(i) The State agency shall complete the application process and approve or deny timely applications for recertification in accordance with § 273.14 of the SNAP regulations. A face-to-face interview shall be waived if requested by a household consisting entirely of SSI participants unable to appoint an authorized representative. The State agency shall provide SSI households with a notice of expiration in accordance with § 273.14(b), except that such notification shall inform households consisting entirely of SSI recipients that they are entitled to a waiver of a face-to-face interview if the household is unable to appoint an authorized representative.

(b) Recertify the household in accordance with § 273.14. If the household has not reached the maximum number of months in its certification period during the transitional period, the State agency may shorten the household's prior certification period in order to recertify the household. When shortening the household's certification period pursuant to this section, the State agency must send the household a notice of expiration in accordance with § 273.14(b).

(147) Except for the provisions of § 273.14(b)(2), the provisions of Amendment No. 364 are effective November 18, 1996 and must be implemented no later than May 1, 1997. The effective date and implementation date of the provisions of § 273.14(b)(2) will be announced in a document in the Federal Register. The provisions must be implemented for all households that newly apply for Program benefits on or after either the required implementation date or the date the State agency implements the provision prior to the required implementation date. The current caseload shall be converted to these provisions following implementation at the household's request, at the time of recertification, or when the case is next reviewed, whichever occurs first. The State agency must provide restored benefits to required implementation date or the date the State agency implemented the provision prior to the required implementation date. If for any reason a State agency fails to implement by the required implementation date, restored benefits shall be provided, if appropriate, back to the required implementation date or the date of application whichever is later, but for no more than 12 months in accordance with § 273.17(a) of this chapter. Any variances resulting from implementation of the provisions of this amendment shall be excluded from error analysis for 120 days from this required implementation date in accordance with § 275.12(d)(2)(vii) of this chapter and 7 U.S.C. 2025(c)(3)(A).

(B) Sections 273.2(e)(2) and 273.14(b)(3) of this chapter, it must include in the Plan's attachment the option to provide telephone interviews in lieu of face-to-face interviews at initial application and reapplication for households other than those that meet the hardship criteria and a description of the procedures being pursued under the provision;

(ii) Households shall be entitled to make a timely application (in accordance with § 273.14(b)(3)) for SNAP recertification at an SSA office under the following conditions.

(A) In SSA offices where § 273.2(k)(1)(i) is in effect, SSA shall accept the application of a pure SSI household and forward the completed application, transmittal form and any available verification to the designated SNAP office. Where SSA accepts and refers the application in such situations, the household shall not be required to appear at a second office interview, although the State agency may conduct an out-of-office interview, if necessary.

(B) In SSA offices where § 273.2(k)(1)(ii) is in effect, the outstationed worker shall accept the application and interview the recipient and the State agency shall process the application according to § 273.14.

(v) The State agency must follow timeliness standards set forth in 7 CFR 273.2(g) and 273.14(d) for normal processing, and 7 CFR 273.2(i) for expedited service, as applicable. A lack of timely action or communication required by paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this section between the State agencies must not delay the determination of benefits for an individual.

(2) Eligibility for recertification shall be determined based on circumstances anticipated for the certification period starting the month following the expiration of the current certification period. The level of benefits for recertifications shall be based on the same anticipated circumstances, except for retrospectively budgeted households which shall be recertified in accordance with § 273.21(f)(2). If a household, other than a migrant or seasonal farmworker household, submits an application after the household's certification period has expired, that application shall be considered an initial application and benefits for that month shall be prorated in accordance with paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section. If a household's failure to timely apply for recertification was due to an error of the State agency and therefore there was a break in participation, the State agency shall follow the procedures in § 273.14(e). In addition, if the household submits an application for recertification prior to the end of its certification period but is found ineligible for the first month following the end of the certification period, then the first month of any subsequent participation shall be considered an initial month. Conversely, if the household submits an application for recertification prior to the end of its certification period and is found eligible for the first month following the end of the certification period, then that month shall not be an initial month.