SNAP benefits received by an eligible household may be used
at any time by the household or other persons whom the household selects to
purchase eligible food for the household. SNAP benefits are issued through an
Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system in which benefit allotments are stored
on an electronic benefit transfer card and used to purchase authorized items at
a point-of-sale (POS) terminal. EBT cards shall be presented only to retailers
authorized by USDA/FNS to accept food benefit payment for food
purchases.
SNAP benefits must be used to pay for food currently
purchased and cannot be used to pay for foods previously or subsequently
secured or to pay back bills owed the grocer. The only exceptions are that SNAP
benefits may be used to pay for food items such as milk or bakery goods that
are delivered to the home on a regular basis, or for advance payment to a
non-profit cooperative food venture when food purchased is to be delivered
later.
A. Expungement
1. Upon approval of benefits, SNAP recipients
are provided information in writing that any SNAP benefits issued to the EBT
card that are unused after nine (9) months (274 days) will be expunged and
removed from the account.
2. Upon
approval of benefits, SNAP recipients are provided information in writing that
if the EBT account goes inactive (no food purchases or returns) after nine (9)
months (274 days), the inactive SNAP benefits will be considered expunged and
removed from the account.
4.130.1
WHERE HOUSEHOLDS CAN USE SNAP
BENEFITS
A. Specified persons may use
their SNAP benefits to purchase meals from the following:
1. A meal delivery service approved by the
USDA, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS);
2. A communal dining facility for persons
aged sixty (60) years and older and/or SSI households;
3. An authorized drug or alcoholic treatment
and rehabilitation center;
4. An
authorized public or private, nonprofit group living arrangement facility;
and
5. A shelter for battered women
and children.
B.
Households containing persons experiencing homelessness shall be permitted to
use their benefits to purchase prepared meals from an authorized public or
private nonprofit provider for persons experiencing homelessness. A meal
provider for persons experiencing homelessness means a public or private
non-profit establishment, including, but not limited to, soup kitchens and
temporary shelters which feed persons experiencing homelessness. To be
considered a meal provider to persons experiencing homelessness, the meal
provider must be approved as such by the USDA, FNS.
Households containing persons experiencing homelessness may
also purchase meals from restaurants if the restaurant offers discounts to or
serves food to households containing persons experiencing homelessness at
concessional (reduced) prices, and the restaurant is authorized by the USDA,
FNS as a retailer.
4.130.2
ELIGIBLE FOODS
Households can only purchase eligible foods with SNAP
benefits. Eligible foods include:
A.
Any food or food product intended for human consumption, except for alcoholic
beverages, tobacco, and hot food, including hot food products prepared by the
retailer and sold at above room temperature for immediate
consumption.
B. Seeds and plants to
grow foods for personal consumption by eligible household
members.
Notes
10 CCR 2506-1-4.130
37
CR 15, August 10, 2014, effective 9/1/2014
37
CR 21, November 10,2014, effective 12/1/2014
38
CR 23, December 10, 2015, effective 1/1/2016
39
CR 01, January 10, 2016, effective
2/1/2016
39
CR 05, March 10, 2016, effective
4/1/2016
39
CR 07, April 10, 2016, effective
5/1/2016
39
CR 15, August 10, 2016, effective
9/1/2016
39
CR 17, September 10, 2016, effective
10/1/2016
39
CR 19, October 10, 2016, effective
11/1/2016
39
CR 23, December 10, 2016, effective
1/1/2017
40
CR 11, June 10, 2017, effective
7/1/2017
40
CR 17, September 10, 2017, effective
10/1/2017
41
CR 15, August 10, 2018, effective
9/1/2018
40
CR 23, December 10, 2017, effective
12/30/2018
42
CR 01, January 10, 2019, effective
2/1/2019
42
CR 03, February 10, 2019, effective
3/15/2019
42
CR 17, September 10, 2019, effective
10/1/2019
42
CR 18, October 10, 2019, effective
10/1/2019
42
CR 23, December 10, 2019, effective
12/30/2019
43
CR 01, January 10, 2020, effective
1/30/2020
43
CR 05, March 10, 2020, effective
2/7/2020
43
CR 07, April 10, 2020, effective
4/30/2020
43
CR 21, November 10, 2020, effective
11/30/2020
44
CR 21, November 10, 2021, effective
11/30/2021
45
CR 05, March 10, 2022, effective
3/30/2022
45
CR 19, October 10, 2022, effective
10/1/2022
45
CR 19, October 10, 2022, effective
11/1/2022
45
CR 21, November 10, 2022, effective
11/30/2022