Bill > SSB3158

This Study Bill proposes changes to public assistance programs by limiting "categorical eligibility," which allows individuals to qualify for certain benefits based on their eligibility for other programs, for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as the food assistance program, unless federal law mandates it. It also prohibits the state from seeking waivers to exempt SNAP recipients from work requirements and mandates that individuals receiving food assistance who are not exempt from work requirements must be assigned to an employment and training program. Furthermore, the bill introduces new work requirements for Medicaid eligibility, requiring individuals to work, participate in a work program, volunteer, or engage in workfare for at least twenty hours per week, with specific exemptions for certain groups like the elderly, those medically unfit, pregnant individuals, and parents of young children. The bill also includes provisions for the Department of Human Services to submit necessary state plan amendments or waivers to federal authorities and to adopt rules for implementation, with different effective dates depending on whether federal approval is required.