,i #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cjee ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,august #b1 #bjac ,mr4 ,southerland 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,reed1 ,ms4 ,jenkins1 ,mr4 ,austin ,scott of ,georgia1 ,mr4 ,bentivolio1 ,mr4 ,price of ,georgia1 ,mr4 ,westmoreland1 ,mrs4 ,blackburn1 and ,mr4 ,kingston7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture ,a ,,bill ,to reform the ,federal supplemental nutrition assistance program 7,,snap7 so that ,states have the option of conducting pilot projects to require that able-bodied individuals participate in work activities as a condition of receiving benefits under such program4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,providing ,relief to ,individuals ,desiring ,employment 7,,pride7 ,act of #bjac4 #b4 ,pilot projects to promote work and increase ,state accountability in the supplemental nutrition assistance program ,effective ,october #a1 #bjac1 section #ag of the ,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjbf7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7l7 ,pilot projects ,to promote work and increase ,state accountability in the supplemental nutrition assistance program 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall carry out pilot projects to develop and test methods allowing ,states to run a work program with certain features comparable to the ,state program funded under part ,a of title ,,iv of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fja et seq471 with the intent of increasing employment and self-sufficiency through increased ,state accountability and thereby reducing the need for supplemental nutrition assistance benefits4 7#b7 ,agreements 7,a7 ,in general ,in carrying out this subsection1 the ,secretary shall enter into cooperative agreements with ,states in accordance with pilot projects that meet the criteria required under this subsection4 7,b7 ,application ,to be eligible for a cooperative agreement under this paragraph1 a ,state shall submit to the ,secretary a plan that complies with requirements of this subsection beginning in fiscal year #bjad4 ,the ,secretary may not disapprove applications which meet the requirements of this subsection as described through its amended supplemental nutrition assistance ,state ,plan4 7,c7 ,assurances ,a ,state shall include in its plan assurances that its pilot project will-- 7i7 operate for at least three #ab-month periods but not more than five #ab-month periods2 7ii7 have a robust data collection system for program administration that is designed and shared with project evaluators to ensure proper and timely evaluation2 and 7iii7 intend to offer a work activity described in paragraph 7#d7 to adults assigned and required to participate under paragraph 7#c77;,a7 and who are not exempt under paragraph 7#c77;,f74 7,d7 ,number of pilot projects ,any ,state may carry out a pilot project that meets the requirements of this subsection4 7,e7 ,extent of pilot projects ,pilot projects shall cover no less than the entire ,state4 7,f7 ,other program waivers ,waivers for able-bodied adults without dependents provided under section #f7o7 are void for ,states covered by a pilot project carried out under paragraph 7#a74 7#c7 ,work activity 7,a7 ,for purposes of this subsection1 the term work activity means any of the following3 7i7 ,employment in the public or private sector that is not subsidized by any public program4 7ii7 ,employment in the private sector for which the employer receives a subsidy from public funds to offset some or all of the wages and costs of employing an adult4 7iii7 ,employment in the public sector for which the employer receives a subsidy from public funds to offset some or all of the wages and costs of employing an adult4 7iv7 ,a work activity that-- 7,i7 is performed in return for public benefits2 7,,ii7 provides an adult with an opportunity to acquire the general skills1 knowledge1 and work habits necessary to obtain employment2 7,,iii7 is designed to improve the employability of those who cannot find unsubsidized employment2 and 7,,iv7 is supervised by an employer1 work site sponsor1 or other responsible party on an ongoing basis4 7v7 ,training in the public or private sector that is given to a paid employee while he or she is engaged in productive work and that provides knowledge and skills essential to the full and adequate performance of the job4 7vi7 ,job search1 obtaining employment1 or preparation to seek or obtain employment1 including-- 7,i7 life skills training2 7,,ii7 substance abuse treatment or mental health treatment1 determined to be necessary and documented by a qualified medical1 substance abuse1 or mental health professional2 or 7,,iii7 rehabilitation activities2 supervised by a public agency or other responsible party on an ongoing basis4 7vii7 ,structured programs and embedded activities-- 7,i7 in which adults perform work for the direct benefit of the community under the auspices of public or nonprofit organizations2 7,,ii7 that are limited to projects that serve useful community purposes in fields such as health1 social service1 environmental protection1 education1 urban and rural redevelopment1 welfare1 recreation1 public facilities1 public safety1 and child care2 7,,iii7 that are designed to improve the employability of adults not otherwise able to obtain unsubsidized employment2 7,,iv7 that are supervised on an ongoing basis2 and 7,v7 with respect to which a ,state agency takes into account1 to the extent possible1 the prior training1 experience1 and skills of a recipient in making appropriate community service assignments4 7viii7 ,career and technical training programs 7not to exceed #ab months with respect to any adult7 that are directly related to the preparation of adults for employment in current or emerging occupations and that are supervised on an ongoing basis4 7ix7 ,training or education for job skills that are required by an employer to provide an adult with the ability to obtain employment or to advance or adapt to the changing demands of the workplace and that are supervised on an ongoing basis4 7x7 ,education that is related to a specific occupation1 job1 or job offer and that is supervised on an ongoing basis4 7xi7 ,in the case of an adult who has not completed secondary school or received such a certificate of general equivalence1 regular attendance-- 7,i7 in accordance with the requirements of the secondary school or course of study1 at a secondary school or in a course of study leading to such certificate2 and 7,,ii7 supervised on an ongoing basis4 7xii7 ,providing child care to enable another recipient of public benefits to participate in a community service program that-- 7,i7 does not provide compensation for such community service2 7,,ii7 is a structured program designed to improve the employability of adults who participate in such program2 and 7,,iii7 is supervised on an ongoing basis4 7,b7 ,protections ,work activities under this subsection shall be subject to all applicable health and safety standards4 ,except as described in clauses 7i71 7ii71 and 7iii7 of subparagraph 7,a71 the term work activity shall be considered work preparation and not defined as employment for purposes of other law4 7#d7 ,pilot projects ,pilot projects carried out under paragraph 7#a7 shall include interventions to which adults are assigned that are designed to reduce unnecessary dependence1 promote self sufficiency1 increase work levels1 increase earned income1 and reduce supplemental nutrition assistance benefit expenditures among households eligible for1 applying for1 or participating in the supplemental nutrition assistance program4 7,a7 ,adults assigned to interventions by the ,state shall-- 7i7 be subject to mandatory participation in work activities specified in paragraph 7#d71 except those with #a or more dependent children under #a year of age2 7ii7 participate in work activities specified in paragraph 7#d7 for a minimum of #bj hours per week per household2 7iii7 be a maximum age of not less than #ej and not more than #fj1 as defined by the ,state2 7iv7 be subject to penalties during a period of nonparticipation without good cause ranging from1 at ,state option1 a minimum of the removal of the adults from the household benefit amount1 up to a maximum of the discontinuance of the entire household benefit amount2 and 7v7 not be penalized for nonparticipation if child care is not available for #a or more children under #f years of age4 7,b7 ,the ,state shall allow certain individuals to be exempt from work requirements-- 7i7 those participating in work programs under a ,state program funded under part ,a of title ,,iv of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fja et seq47 for an equal or greater number of hours2 7ii7 #a adult family member per household who is needed in the home to care for a disabled family member2 7iii7 an adult who is receiving temporary or permanent disability benefits issued by governmental sources2 and 7iv7 those with a good cause reason for nonparticipation1 such as victims of domestic violence1 as defined by the ,state4 7#e7 ,evaluation and reporting 7,a7 ,evaluation 7i7 ,independent evaluation 7,i7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall provide for each ,state that enters into an agreement under paragraph 7#b7 an independent1 longitudinal evaluation of its pilot project under this subsection to determine total program savings over the entire course of the pilot project with results reported in consecutive #ab-month increments4 7,,ii7 ,purpose ,the purpose of the evaluation is to measure the impact of interventions provided by the ,state under the pilot project on the ability of adults in households eligible for1 applying for1 or participating in the supplemental nutrition assistance program to find and retain employment that leads to increased household income and reduced dependency4 7,,iii7 ,requirement ,the independent evaluation under subclause 7,i7 shall use valid statistical methods which can determine the difference between supplemental nutrition assistance benefit expenditures1 if any1 as a result of the interventions as compared to a control group that-- 7aa7 is not subject to the interventions provided by the ,state under the pilot project under this subsection2 and 7bb7 maintains services provided under #af7;h7 in the year prior to the start of the pilot project under this subsection4 7,,iv7 ,option ,states shall have the option to evaluate pilot projects by matched counties or matched geographical areas using a constructed control group design to isolate the effects of the intervention of the pilot project4 7,v7 ,definition ,constructed control group means there is no random assignment1 and instead program participants 7those subject to interventions7 and non-participants 7control7 are equated using matching or statistical procedures on characteristics that may be associated with program outcomes4 7,b7 ,reporting ,not later than #ij days after the end of fiscal year #bjad and of each fiscal year thereafter1 until the completion of the last evaluation under subparagraph 7,a71 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committee on ,agriculture of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry of the ,senate1 a report that includes a description of-- 7i7 the status of each pilot project carried out under paragraph 7#a72 7ii7 the results of the evaluation completed during the previous fiscal year2 and 7iii7 to the maximum extent practicable-- 7,i7 baseline information relevant to the stated goals and desired outcomes of the pilot project2 7,,ii7 the impact of the interventions on appropriate employment1 income1 and public benefit receipt outcomes among households participating in the pilot project2 7,,iii7 equivalent information about similar or identical measures among control or comparison groups2 7,,iv7 the planned dissemination of the report findings to ,state agencies2 and 7,v7 the steps and funding necessary to incorporate into ,state employment and training programs the components of pilot projects that demonstrate increased employment and earnings4 7,c7 ,public dissemination ,in addition to the reporting requirements under subparagraph 7,b71 evaluation results shall be shared broadly to inform policy makers1 service providers1 other partners1 and the public in order to promote wide use of successful strategies1 including by posting evaluation results on the ,internet website of the ,department of ,agriculture4 7#f7 ,funding 7,a7 ,available funds ,from amounts made available under section #ah7;a77#a71 the ,secretary shall make available-- 7i7 up to #a1jjj1jjj for each of the fiscal years #bjad through #bjag for evaluations described in paragraph 7#e7 to carry out this subsection1 with such amounts to remain available until expended2 and 7ii7 amounts equal to one-half of the accumulated supplemental nutrition assistance benefit dollars saved over each consecutive #ab-month period according to the evaluation under paragraph 7#e7 for bonus grants to ,states under paragraph 7#g77;,b74 7,b7 limitation ,a ,state operating a pilot project under this subsection shall not receive more funding under section #af7;h7 than the ,state received the year prior to commencing a project under this subsection and shall not claim funds under #af7;a7 for expenses that are unique to the pilot project under this subsection4 7,c7 ,other funds ,any additional funds required by a ,state to carry out a pilot project under this subsection may be provided by the ,state from funds made available to the ,state for such purpose and in accordance with ,state and other ,federal laws1 including the following3 7i7 ,section #djc of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fjc74 7ii7 ,the ,workforce ,investment ,act of #aiih 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #ibja et seq474 7iii7 ,the ,child ,care and ,development ,block ,grant ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c #iheh et seq47 and section #dah of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fah74 7iv7 ,the social services block grant under subtitle ,a of title ,,xx of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acig et seq474 7#g7 ,use of funds 7,a7 ,specific uses ,funds provided under this subsection for evaluation of pilot projects shall be used only for-- 7i7 pilot projects that comply with this subsection2 7ii7 the costs incurred in gathering and providing information and data used to conduct the independent evaluation under paragraph 7#e72 and 7iii7 the costs of the evaluation under paragraph 7#e74 7,b7 ,limitation ,funds provided for bonus grants to ,states for pilot projects under this subsection shall be used only for-- 7i7 pilot projects that comply with this subsection2 7ii7 amounts equal to one-half of the accumulated supplemental nutrition assistance benefit dollars saved over each consecutive #ab-month period according to the evaluation under paragraph 7#e72 and 7iii7 any ,state purpose1 not to be restricted to the supplemental nutrition assistance program or its beneficiary population4 4 #c4 ,improved wage verification using the ,national ,directory of ,new ,hires ,effective ,october #a1 #bjac1 section #aa7;e7 of the ,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjbj7;e77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#c7 by inserting and after compliance with the requirement specified in paragraph 7#bd7 after section #af7;e7 of this ,act1 7#b7 in paragraph 7#bb7 by striking and at the end1 7#c7 in paragraph 7#bc by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and1 and 7#d7 by adding at the end the following3 7#bd7 that the ,state agency shall request wage data directly from the ,national ,directory of ,new ,hires established under section #dec7;i7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fec7;i77 relevant to determining eligibility to receive supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits and determining the correct amount of such benefits4 4