Legislative History - 1994

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Food Stamp Program Improvements Act of 1994 P.L. 103-225, 108 Stat. 106 March 25, 1994

Deleted the 1990 Farm Bill provision prohibiting State agencies from requiring monthly reporting on Indian reservations and permitted State agencies to require monthly reporting on Indian reservations only if the following conditions are met:   1) the State agency reinstates late reporters who submit reports before the end of the month following the issuance month; 2) the State agency does not delay, reduce, suspend or terminate the benefits of households that submit reports before the end of the month following the report month; 3) the State agency is requiring monthly reporting on Indian reservations on the date of enactment; and 4) the certification period for households on Indian reservations who are required to report monthly is two years unless the State agency has demonstrated to the Department just cause for a shorter period. Deleted the 1990 Farm Bill provision requiring State agencies to stagger issuance throughout the month and required State agencies to stagger issuance over 15 days on Indian reservations upon request of the tribal organization that has governmental jurisdiction over the reservation. Required the General Accounting Office (GAO) to conduct a study and report by Dec. 1, 1994 to determine whether it is feasible and desirable to increase opportunities for Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs) to administer the Food Stamp Program. Replaced the current definition of "retail food store" with a definition that would require firms, in order to be authorized to accept food stamps, to meet one of the following criteria:   1) offer for sale on a continuous basis a variety of food classified in each of four staple food categories--meat, poultry, or fish; bread or cereals; vegetables or fruits; and dairy products--and sell perishable foods in at least two of these categories of staple foods or 2) have over 50 percent of its total sales in eligible food. Required the Secretary to issue regulations providing for periodic reauthorization of retailers and wholesalers and periodic notices to participating firms about the definitions of "retail food store," "staple foods," "eligible foods," and "perishable foods." Provided access to the information supplied by retailers/wholesalers to Federal and State law enforcement and investigative agencies for the purpose of administering/enforcing the Food Stamp Act or other Federal and State laws and corresponding regulations. Established fines up to $1000 and imprisonment for up to one year, or both, as penalties for misuse of retailer/wholesaler information. Required the Department to use up to $4 million to conduct demonstration projects testing innovative ideas of State or local food stamp agencies for working with State or local law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute food stamp trafficking. Funds for the demonstration projects are to be taken from amounts appropriated for Section 17 projects. Provided that a retail firm that is authorized on the date of enactment of the legislation shall be considered to meet the new definition until its periodic reauthorization or its continued participation is evaluated for any reason. Required the Department to report to Congress within 18 months of enactment on the impact of the new authorization criteria and the periodic reauthorization and notice requirements.

P.L. 103-286, 108 Stat. 1450 Aug. 1, 1994

Disregarded payments made to individuals because of their status as victims of Nazi persecution in determining eligibility for and the amount of benefits or services to be provided under any Federal or federally assisted program which provides benefits or services based, in whole or in part, on need. Prohibited recovery of excess benefits or services provided before enactment of this act because these payments were not taken into account by any Federal or federally assisted program which provides benefits or services based, in whole or in part, on need. Required any agency of government that had not disregarded these payments in determining eligibility for a needs based program to make a good faith effort to notify any individual who may have been denied eligibility for benefits or services under the program of the potential eligibility of the individual for such benefits or services.

Social Security Administrative Reform Act of 1994 P.L. 103-296, 108 Stat. 1464 Aug. 15, 1994

Permitted the Secretary to share social security (SSNs) and employer identification numbers (EINs) of officers or owners of applicant retail food stores or wholesale food concerns with any other agency or instrumentality of the United States which otherwise has access to SSNs. The Secretary may share such information only to the extent that the Secretary determines such sharing would assist in verifying and matching such information against information maintained by such other agency or instrumentality. Such shared information may be used only for the purpose of effective administration and enforcement of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 or for the purpose of investigation of violations of other Federal laws or enforcement of such laws. The Secretary and the head of any other agency or instrumentality must restrict, to the satisfaction of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (SSNs) or of the Secretary of the Treasury (EINs), access to SSNs and EINs only to officers and employees of the U.S. whose duties or responsibilities require access for the purposes cited above, and provide safeguards to protect the confidentiality of the SSNs.

Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 P.L. 103-354, 108 Stat. 3178 Oct. 13, 1994

Effective Sept. 30, 1994, prohibited the Secretary from reducing the cost of the Thrifty Food Plan in Alaska on Oct. 1, 1994.

Last modified: 02/16/2012