Removing Barriers to Basic Needs Act of 2020

Removing Barriers to Basic Needs Act of 2020

This bill modifies eligibility requirements under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) to temporarily waive requirements related to the denial of assistance and benefits for certain drug-related convictions.

Any state law, policy, or regulation that imposes conditions on eligibility for SNAP and TANF based on an individual's conviction of an offense related to a controlled substance shall have no force or effect until December 31, 2022.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7916 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7916

  To temporarily waive section 115 of the Personal Responsibility and 
Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 as applied to the TANF and 
                 SNAP programs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 31, 2020

Ms. Moore (for herself, Ms. Lee of California, Ms. Bass, Mr. Cohen, Mr. 
  Cardenas, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Rush, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Thompson of 
Mississippi, Mr. Foster, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Trone, Ms. Barragan, 
Ms. Haaland, Mr. Evans, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Ms. Norton, Ms. Adams, 
Mr. Kennedy, Mr. McGovern, Mrs. Hayes, Ms. Fudge, Mr. Clay, Mr. Cooper, 
Mr. Pascrell, Ms. Clarke of New York, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Smith 
  of Washington, Ms. Scanlon, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Nadler, Ms. Omar, Mr. 
  Butterfield, Ms. Pressley, Mr. Takano, and Mr. Johnson of Georgia) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To temporarily waive section 115 of the Personal Responsibility and 
Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 as applied to the TANF and 
                 SNAP programs, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Removing Barriers to Basic Needs Act 
of 2020''.

SEC. 2. EMERGENCY EXTENSION OF SNAP AND TANF BENEFITS.

    (a) Applicability of Ban on SNAP and TANF Benefits.--Section 115 of 
the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 
1996 (21 U.S.C. 862a) shall not apply to any individual applying for 
benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance program and 
temporary assistance for needy families program.
    (b) Effect on State Policies.--Any law enacted by a State under the 
authority under subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (d)(1) of section 
115 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation 
Act of 1996 (21 U.S.C. 862a), and any State law, policy, or regulation 
that imposes conditions on eligibility for the supplemental nutrition 
assistance program and temporary assistance for needy families program 
based on an individual's conviction of an offense related to a 
controlled substance, shall have no force or effect until the date 
specified in subsection (c).
    (c) Sunset.--The authority under this section shall be in effect 
beginning on the date of enactment of this Act and until December 31, 
2022.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 3(r) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 
        U.S.C. 2012(r)).
            (2) Supplemental nutrition assistance program.--The term 
        ``supplemental nutrition assistance program'' has the meaning 
        given such term in section 3(t) of the Food and Nutrition Act 
        of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012(t)).
            (3) Temporary assistance for needy families program.--The 
        term ``temporary assistance for needy families program'' has 
        the meaning given such term in section 401 of Personal 
        Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 
        (42 U.S.C. 601(a)).
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