| Rule Number: |
10-E11 |
| Title: |
Amendment to Food Stamp (3SquaresVT) Rules to Comply with Federal Law and Regulations |
|
Type:
|
Emergency |
|
Status:
|
Adopted |
| Agency: |
Agency of Human Services
|
| Legal Authority: |
33 V.S.A. § 105(c)(1)(2); and 33 V.S.A. § 1701(a). |
| Summary:
| This rule amends Food Stamp (3SquaresVT) rule number 273.9d 6 vi by changing the procedural reference in the "Vermont Note" to bring it into compliance with federal regulations requiring states to implement all changes to standard utility allowances as directed by the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). FNS notified the department on September 7, 2010 that the rulemaking requirement specified in the "Vermont Note" does not comply with Federal regulations governing the state's plan of operations for the program and consequently prevents the timely application of federally-mandated updates to standard utility allowances. |
| Persons Affected:
| 3SquaresVT program participants may experience up or down fluctuations in their monthly benefits when annual standards change; Agency of Human Services staff may experience an increase in call volumes and fair hearing requests when standards change; food retailers may experience an up or
down fluctuation in sales of eligible food items when standards change. |
| Economic Impact:
| For Federal Fiscal Year 2011, implementation of federally-required updates to standards will result in an average benefit decrease of $29 per month for approximately 16,000 affected households. Failure to implement updated standards as required would result in approximately $5,568,000 in payment errors and over $700,000 in a potential federal fiscal sanctions for the state. |
| Posting date: |
Sep 17,2010 |
