SNAP Staffing Flexibility Act of 2025

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2811 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2811

   To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to allow for blended 
 workforces to carry out the supplemental nutrition assistance program 
           under certain conditions, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 10, 2025

 Mr. Bacon (for himself and Mr. Rouzer) introduced the following bill; 
           which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to allow for blended 
 workforces to carry out the supplemental nutrition assistance program 
           under certain conditions, 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.

    (a) This Act may be cited as the ``SNAP Staffing Flexibility Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. SNAP STAFFING FLEXIBILITY.

    (a) Section 11 of the Food and Nutrition Act (7 U.S.C. 2020) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(y) SNAP Staffing Flexibility.--
            ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding section 11(e)(6)(B) of 
        the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, a State agency (as defined 
        in section 3 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008) may, by 
        contract with the State agency at a reasonable cost in 
        accordance with the State agency's standard contracting rules, 
        hire a contractor to undertake supplemental nutrition 
        assistance program certification or carry out any other 
        function of the State agency under such program so long as--
                    ``(A) the contract does not provide incentives for 
                the agency or contractor to delay eligibility 
                determinations or to deny eligibility for individuals 
                otherwise eligible for supplemental nutrition 
                assistance program benefits; and
                    ``(B) the contractor has no direct or indirect 
                financial interest in an approved retail store.
            ``(2) Use.--A State agency may use the authority provided 
        in paragraph (1) when the State experiences increases in 
        supplemental nutrition assistance program applications or an 
        inability to timely process such applications from causes that 
        include but are not limited to--
                    ``(A) pandemics and other health emergencies,
                    ``(B) seasonal workforce cycles,
                    ``(C) temporary staffing shortages, and
                    ``(D) weather or other natural disasters.
            ``(3) Requirements.--A State agency that hires a contractor 
        under paragraph (1) shall ensure such action--
                    ``(A) is consistent with all principles under 
                section 900.603 of title 5 of the Code of Federal 
                Regulations; and
                    ``(B) is part of a blended workforce and does not 
                supplant existing merit-based personnel in the State.
            ``(4) Notification.--A State agency shall notify the 
        Secretary of its intent to use the authority provided in this 
        section and shall provide any information or data supporting 
        State agency increases in supplemental nutrition assistance 
        program applications or any inability to timely process such 
        applications.
            ``(5) Public availability.--Not later than 10 days after 
        the date of the receipt of a notification submitted by a State 
        agency under paragraph (4), the Secretary shall make publicly 
        available on the website of the Department of Agriculture the 
        notification submitted by such State agency and any 
        accompanying information or data supporting such notification 
        so submitted.
            ``(6) Annual report.--The Secretary shall submit to the 
        Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and 
        the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the 
        Senate, an annual report that contains--
                    ``(A) a description of measures taken to address 
                increases in supplemental nutrition assistance program 
                applications and any inability to timely process such 
                applications;
                    ``(B) information or data supporting State agency 
                notifications provided pursuant to paragraph (4); and
                    ``(C) recommendations for changes to the 
                Secretary's authority under this Act to assist the 
                Secretary, States, and local governments of States in 
                preparing for any future increases in supplemental 
                nutrition assistance program applications or inability 
                to timely process such applications.
            ``(7) Temporary staffing shortages.--In cases of temporary 
        staffing shortages, the authority provided to State agencies 
        under paragraph (1) shall--
                    ``(A) expire when the backlog of supplemental 
                nutrition assistance program applications has been 
                eliminated; and
                    ``(B) not override any collective bargaining 
                agreement or memorandum of understanding in effect 
                between the State and employees of the State or of a 
                local government of such State.''.
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