2006 Ohio Revised Code - 5101.54. Administration of food stamp program.

§ 5101.54. Administration of food stamp program.
 

(A)  The director of job and family services shall administer the food stamp program in accordance with the "Food Stamp Act of 1977," 91 Stat. 958, 7 U.S.C.A. 2011, as amended. The department may: 

(1) Prepare and submit to the secretary of the United States department of agriculture a plan for the administration of the food stamp program; 

(2) Prescribe forms for applications, certificates, reports, records, and accounts of county departments of job and family services, and other matters; 

(3) Require such reports and information from each county department of job and family services as may be necessary and advisable; 

(4) Administer and expend any sums appropriated by the general assembly for the purposes of this section and all sums paid to the state by the United States as authorized by the Food Stamp Act of 1977; 

(5) Conduct such investigations as are necessary; 

(6) Enter into interagency agreements and cooperate with investigations conducted by the department of public safety, including providing information for investigative purposes, exchanging property and records, passing through federal financial participation, modifying any agreements with the United States department of agriculture, providing for the supply, security, and accounting of food stamp benefits for investigative purposes, and meeting any other requirements necessary for the detection and deterrence of illegal activities in the state food stamp program; 

(7) Adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code governing employment and training requirements of recipients of food stamp benefits, including rules specifying which recipients are subject to the requirements and establishing sanctions for failure to satisfy the requirements. The rules shall be consistent with 7 U.S.C.A. 2015 and, to the extent practicable, may provide for food stamp benefit recipients to participate in work activities, developmental activities, and alternative work activities established under sections 5107.40 to 5107.69 of the Revised Code that are comparable to programs authorized by 7 U.S.C.A. 2015(d)(4). The rules may reference rules adopted under section 5107.05 of the Revised Code governing work activities, developmental activities, and alternative work activities established under sections 5107.40 to 5107.69 of the Revised Code. 

(8) Adopt rules in accordance with section 111.15 of the Revised Code that are consistent with the Food Stamp Act of 1977, as amended, and regulations adopted thereunder governing the following: 

(a) Eligibility requirements for the food stamp program; 

(b) Sanctions for failure to comply with eligibility requirements; 

(c) Allotment of food stamp benefits; 

(d) To the extent permitted under federal statutes and regulations, a system under which some or all recipients of food stamp benefits subject to employment and training requirements established by rules adopted under division (A)(7) of this section receive food stamp benefits after satisfying the requirements; 

(e) Administration of the program by county departments of job and family services; 

(f) Other requirements necessary for the efficient administration of the program. 

(9) Submit a plan to the United States secretary of agriculture for the department of job and family services to operate a simplified food stamp program pursuant to 7 U.S.C.A. 2035 under which requirements governing the Ohio works first program established under Chapter 5107. of the Revised Code also govern the food stamp program in the case of households receiving food stamp benefits and participating in Ohio works first. 

(B)  Except while in the custody of the United States postal service, food stamps and any document necessary to obtain food stamps are the property of the department of job and family services from the time they are received in accordance with federal regulations by the department from the federal agency responsible for such delivery until they are received by a household entitled to receive them or by the authorized representative of the household. 

(C)  A household that is entitled to receive food stamps under the "Food Stamp Act of 1977," 91 Stat. 958, 7 U.S.C.A. 2011, as amended, and that is determined to be in immediate need of food assistance, shall receive certification of eligibility for program benefits, pending verification, within twenty-four hours, or, if mitigating circumstances occur, within seventy-two hours, after application, if: 

(1) The results of the application interview indicate that the household will be eligible upon full verification; 

(2) Information sufficient to confirm the statements in the application has been obtained from at least one additional source, not a member of the applicant's household. Such information shall be recorded in the case file, and shall include: 

(a) The name of the person who provided the name of the information source; 

(b) The name and address of the information source; 

(c) A summary of the information obtained. 

The period of temporary eligibility shall not exceed one month from the date of certification of temporary eligibility. If eligibility is established by full verification, benefits shall continue without interruption as long as eligibility continues. 

At the time of application, the county department of job and family services shall provide to a household described in this division a list of community assistance programs that provide emergency food. 

(D)  All applications shall be approved or denied through full verification within thirty days from receipt of the application by the county department of job and family services. 

(E)  Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the certification of households that qualify under federal regulations to receive food stamps without charge under the "Food Stamp Act of 1977," 91 Stat. 958, 7 U.S.C.A. 2011, as amended. 

(F)  Any person who applies for food stamps under this section shall receive a voter registration application under section 3503.10 of the Revised Code. 
 

HISTORY: 136 v H 416 (Eff 11-19-75); 141 v H 428 (Eff 12-23-86); 142 v H 231 (Eff 10-5-87); 145 v S 300 (Eff 1-1-95); 146 v S 162 (Eff 10-29-95); 146 v H 167 (Eff 11-15-95); 147 v H 408 (Eff 10-1-97); 148 v H 471 (Eff 7-1-2000); 149 v H 94. Eff 9-5-2001.
 

Not analogous to former RC § 5101.54 (GC § 1859; 102 v 211; Bureau of Code Revision, 10-1-53), repealed 125 v 823(892), § 2, eff 7-1-54.

The effective date is set by section 204 of HB 94.