,i  #aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #bhaa  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,april #aj1 #bjbe,mr4
 ,bacon 7for himself and ,mr4 ,rouzer7  
introduced the following bill2 which was
 referred to the ,committee on          
,agriculture  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend the  
,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh to   
allow for blended workforces to carry   
out the supplemental nutrition          
assistance program under certain        
conditions1 and for other purposes4  #a4
 ,short title  7a7 ,this ,act may be    
cited as the ,,snap ,staffing           
,flexibility ,act of #bjbe4  #b4 ,,snap 
staffing flexibility  7a7 ,section #aa  
of the ,food and ,nutrition ,act 7#g    
,u4,s4,c4 #bjbj7 is amended by adding at
 the end the following3  7y7 ,,snap     
staffing flexibility  7#a7 ,in general  
,notwithstanding section                
#aa7;e77#f77;,b7 of the ,food and       
,nutrition ,act of #bjjh1 a ,state      
agency 7as defined in section #c of the 
,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh7 may1

 by contract with the ,state agency at a
 reasonable cost in accordance with the 
,state agency's standard contracting    
rules1 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-- 7,a7 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 benefits2 and  7,b7  
the contractor has no direct or indirect
 financial interest in an approved      
retail store4  7#b7 ,use ,a ,state      
agency may use the authority provided in
 paragraph 7#a7 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--   
7,a7 pandemics and other health         

emergencies1  7,b7 seasonal workforce   
cycles1  7,c7 temporary staffing        
shortages1 and  7,d7 weather or other   
natural disasters4  7#c7 ,requirements  
,a ,state agency that hires a contractor
 under paragraph 7#a7 shall ensure such 
action-- 7,a7 is consistent with all    
principles under section #ijj4fjc of    
title #e of the ,code of ,federal       
,regulations2 and  7,b7 is part of a    
blended workforce and does not supplant 
existing merit-based personnel in the   
,state4  7#d7 ,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 applications4  7#e7 ,public
 availability ,not later than #aj days  
after the date of the receipt of a      
notification submitted by a ,state      
agency under paragraph 7#d71 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         
submitted4  7#f7 ,annual report ,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 an annual     
report that contains-- 7,a7 a           
description of measures taken to address
 increases in supplemental nutrition    
assistance program applications and any 
inability to timely process such        
applications2  7,b7 information or data 
supporting ,state agency notifications  
provided pursuant to paragraph 7#d72 and
  7,c7 recommendations for changes to   
the ,secretary's authority under this   
,act to assist the ,secretary1 ,states1 
and local governments of ,states in     
preparing for any future increases in   

supplemental nutrition assistance       
program applications or inability to    
timely process such applications4  7#g7 
,temporary staffing shortages ,in cases 
of temporary staffing shortages1 the    
authority provided to ,state agencies   
under paragraph 7#a7 shall-- 7,a7 expire
 when the backlog of supplemental       
nutrition assistance program            
applications has been eliminated2 and   
7,b7 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 ,state4  4