68-1017.02. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; department; duties; state outreach plan; report; contents; categorical eligibility; legislative intent; increased benefits, when; person ineligible, when.
(1)(a) The Department of Health and Human Services shall apply for and utilize to the maximum extent possible, within limits established by the Legislature, any and all appropriate options available to the state under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and regulations adopted under such program to maximize the number of Nebraska residents being served under such program within such limits. The department shall seek to maximize federal funding for such program and minimize the utilization of General Funds for such program and shall employ the personnel necessary to determine the options available to the state and issue the report to the Legislature required by subdivision (b) of this subsection.
(b) The department shall submit electronically an annual report to the Health and Human Services Committee of the Legislature by December 1 on efforts by the department to carry out the provisions of this subsection. Such report shall provide the committee with all necessary and appropriate information to enable the committee to conduct a meaningful evaluation of such efforts. Such information shall include, but not be limited to, a clear description of various options available to the state under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the department's evaluation of and any action taken by the department with respect to such options, the number of persons being served under such program, and any and all costs and expenditures associated with such program.
(c) The Health and Human Services Committee of the Legislature, after receipt and evaluation of the report required in subdivision (b) of this subsection, shall issue recommendations to the department on any further action necessary by the department to meet the requirements of this section.
(2)(a) The department shall develop a state outreach plan to promote access by eligible persons to benefits of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The plan shall meet the criteria established by the Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture for approval of state outreach plans. The Department of Health and Human Services may apply for and accept gifts, grants, and donations to develop and implement the state outreach plan.
(b) For purposes of developing and implementing the state outreach plan, the department shall partner with one or more counties or nonprofit organizations. If the department enters into a contract with a nonprofit organization relating to the state outreach plan, the contract may specify that the nonprofit organization is responsible for seeking sufficient gifts, grants, or donations necessary for the development and implementation of the state outreach plan and may additionally specify that any costs to the department associated with the award and management of the contract or the implementation or administration of the state outreach plan shall be paid out of private or federal funds received for development and implementation of the state outreach plan.
(c) The department shall submit the state outreach plan to the Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture for approval on or before August 1, 2011, and shall request any federal matching funds that may be available upon approval of the state outreach plan. It is the intent of the Legislature that the State of Nebraska and the Department of Health and Human Services use any additional public or private funds to offset costs associated with increased caseload resulting from the implementation of the state outreach plan.
(d) The department shall be exempt from implementing or administering a state outreach plan under this subsection, but not from developing such a plan, if it does not receive private or federal funds sufficient to cover the department's costs associated with the implementation and administration of the plan, including any costs associated with increased caseload resulting from the implementation of the plan.
(3)(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that:
(i) Hard work be rewarded and no disincentives to work exist for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants;
(ii) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants be enabled to advance in employment, through greater earnings or new, better-paying employment;
(iii) Participants in employment and training pilot programs be able to maintain Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits while seeking employment with higher wages that allow them to reduce or terminate such program benefits; and
(iv) Nebraska better utilize options under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that other states have implemented to encourage work and employment.
(b)(i) The department shall create a TANF-funded program or policy that, in compliance with federal law, establishes categorical eligibility for federal food assistance benefits pursuant to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to maximize the number of Nebraska residents being served under such program in a manner that does not increase the current gross income eligibility limit except as otherwise provided in subdivision (3)(b)(ii) of this section.
(ii) Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, such TANF-funded program or policy shall increase the gross income eligibility limit to one hundred sixty-five percent of the federal Office of Management and Budget income poverty guidelines as allowed under federal law and under 7 C.F.R. 273.2(j)(2), as such law and regulation existed on April 1, 2021, but shall not increase the net income eligibility limit. It is the intent of the Legislature to fund the administrative costs associated with the benefits under this subdivision beginning on May 27, 2021, with federal funds as allowed under the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Public Law 117-2, as such act existed on April 1, 2021, and continue to fund such administrative costs with such federal funds through September 30, 2023. Such administrative costs shall not be paid for with General Funds. Beginning October 1, 2023, the gross income eligibility limit shall return to the amount used prior to the increase required by this subdivision. The department shall evaluate the TANF-funded program or policy created pursuant to this subsection and provide a report electronically to the Health and Human Services Committee of the Legislature and the Legislative Fiscal Analyst on or before December 31, 2022, regarding the gross income eligibility limit and whether it maximizes the number of Nebraska residents being served under the program or policy. The evaluation shall include an identification and determination of additional administrative costs resulting from the increase to the gross income eligibility limit, a recommendation regarding the gross income eligibility limit, and a determination of the availability of federal funds for the program or policy.
(iii) To the extent federal funds are available to the Department of Labor for the SNAP Next Step Program, until September 30, 2023, any recipient of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits whose household income is between one hundred thirty-one and one hundred sixty-five percent of the federal Office of Management and Budget income poverty guidelines and who is not exempt from work participation requirements shall be encouraged to participate in the SNAP Next Step Program administered by the Department of Labor if the recipient is eligible to participate in the program and the program's services are available in the county in which such household is located. It is the intent of the Legislature that no General Funds be utilized by the Department of Labor for the processes outlined in this subdivision (iii). For purposes of this section, SNAP Next Step Program means a partnership program between the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Labor to assist under-employed and unemployed recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in finding self-sufficient employment.
(iv) Such TANF-funded program or policy shall eliminate all asset limits for eligibility for federal food assistance benefits, except that the total of liquid assets which includes cash on hand and funds in personal checking and savings accounts, money market accounts, and share accounts shall not exceed twenty-five thousand dollars pursuant to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, as allowed under federal law and under 7 C.F.R. 273.2(j)(2).
(v) This subsection becomes effective only if the department receives funds pursuant to federal participation that may be used to implement this subsection.
(c) For purposes of this subsection:
(i) Federal law means the federal Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, 7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq., and regulations adopted under the act; and
(ii) TANF means the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program established in 42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.
(4)(a) Within the limits specified in this subsection, the State of Nebraska opts out of the provision of the federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, as such act existed on January 1, 2009, that eliminates eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for any person convicted of a felony involving the possession, use, or distribution of a controlled substance.
(b) A person shall be ineligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits under this subsection if he or she (i) has had three or more felony convictions for the possession or use of a controlled substance or (ii) has been convicted of a felony involving the sale or distribution of a controlled substance or the intent to sell or distribute a controlled substance. A person with one or two felony convictions for the possession or use of a controlled substance shall only be eligible to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits under this subsection if he or she is participating in or has completed a state-licensed or nationally accredited substance abuse treatment program since the date of conviction. The determination of such participation or completion shall be made by the treatment provider administering the program.
Source
Structure Nebraska Revised Statutes
Chapter 68 - Public Assistance
68-114 - Nonresident poor persons; temporary aid; relief when legal residence not determined.
68-115 - Legal settlement, defined; exclusions; minors; termination.
68-128 - Emergency assistance; families with children.
68-129 - Public assistance; computation of available resources; exclusions.
68-130 - Counties; maintain office and service facilities; review by department.
68-131 - Poor person; support by county; when eligible.
68-132 - County board; duties.
68-133 - County; adopt standards; requirements.
68-134 - Standards; review; filing; availability.
68-135 - Standards; hearing and notice.
68-136 - Failure to adopt or review standards; judicial review.
68-137 - Repayment; when required.
68-138 - Assistance; denial; termination; reduction; notice; hearing.
68-139 - Hearing before county board or hearing examiner; when allowed.
68-140 - Hearing; rights of person requesting.
68-142 - Judicial review; procedure.
68-143 - Poor person; where chargeable.
68-144 - Poor person; duties of county where found and county of legal settlement.
68-145 - Poor person; county where found; action to recover costs; when authorized.
68-146 - Nonresident poor person; general assistance; legal settlement verified; assurances.
68-148 - General assistance; not alienable; exception.
68-149 - Reimbursement to county; when; procedure.
68-150 - Application; right of subrogation.
68-151 - Employable recipients; legislative findings.
68-152 - Employable recipients; programs authorized.
68-153 - Employable recipients; terms, defined.
68-154 - Employable recipients; rules and regulations.
68-154.01 - Employable recipient; community service required; exception.
68-154.02 - Employable recipient; community service; costs; paid by county.
68-154.03 - Employable recipient; community service; participation; how construed.
68-155 - Employable recipients; ineligible; when; notice; appeal.
68-216 - Transferred to section 68-1001.02.
68-301 - State Assistance Fund; created; investment.
68-313 - Records and information; use and disclosure; limitations.
68-326 - Transferred to section 68-702.01.
68-328 - Assistance; application; furnish with reasonable promptness.
68-601 - Social security; policy.
68-603 - Agreement with federal government; state agency; approval of Governor.
68-604 - Agreement with federal government; instrumentality jointly created with other state.
68-605 - Contributions by state employees; amount.
68-606 - Contribution by state employees; collection.
68-607 - Contribution by state employees; adjustments.
68-608 - Coverage by political subdivisions; plan; modification; approval by state agency.
68-610 - Coverage by political subdivisions; amount; payment.
68-611 - Coverage by political subdivisions; delinquent payments; penalty; collection.
68-620.01 - Transferred to section 18-1221.
68-622 - Referendum; persons eligible to vote; Governor; powers.
68-623 - Referendum; how conducted.
68-624 - Referendum; completion; certification; notice; contents.
68-625 - Referendum; state agency; prepare plan; modification of state agreement.
68-626 - Referendum; state agency; forms; make available; aid political subdivisions.
68-627 - Referendum; supervision.
68-629 - Referendum; Governor; appointment of agency to conduct; cost; payment.
68-630 - Political subdivisions; delinquency in payment; manner of collection.
68-703.01 - Department of Health and Human Services; federal funds; expenditures; authorized.
68-716 - Department of Health and Human Services; medical assistance; right of subrogation.
68-719 - Certain vendor payments prohibited.
68-901 - Medical Assistance Act; act, how cited.
68-903 - Medical assistance program; established.
68-904 - Legislative findings.
68-905 - Program of medical assistance; statement of public policy.
68-906 - Medical assistance; state accepts federal provisions.
68-908 - Department; powers and duties.
68-910 - Medical assistance payments; source of funds.
68-912 - Limits on goods and services; considerations; procedure.
68-913 - Medical assistance program; public awareness; public school district; hospital; duties.
68-916 - Medical assistance; application; assignment of rights; exception.
68-917 - Applicant or recipient; failure to cooperate; effect.
68-918 - Restoration of rights; when.
68-920 - Department; garnish employment income; when; limitation.
68-921 - Entitlement of spouse; terms, defined.
68-922 - Amount of entitlement; department; rules and regulations.
68-923 - Assets; eligibility for assistance; future medical support; considerations; subrogation.
68-924 - Designation of assets; procedure.
68-925 - Department; furnish statement.
68-926 - Legislative findings.
68-928 - Licensed insurer or self-funded insurer; provide coverage information.
68-929 - Licensed insurer; violation.
68-930 - Self-funded insurer; violation; civil penalty.
68-931 - Recovery; authorized.
68-932 - Process for resolving violations; appeal.
68-933 - Civil penalties; disposition.
68-934 - False Medicaid Claims Act; act, how cited.
68-938 - Charge, solicitation, acceptance, or receipt; unlawful; when.
68-939 - Records; duties; acts prohibited; liability; costs and attorney's fees.
68-940 - Penalties or damages; considerations; liability; costs and attorney's fees.
68-940.01 - State Medicaid Fraud Control Unit Cash Fund; created; use; investment.
68-941 - Limitation of actions; burden of proof.
68-942 - Investigation and prosecution.
68-943 - State medicaid fraud control unit; certification.
68-944 - State medicaid fraud control unit; powers and duties.
68-945 - Attorney General; powers and duties.
68-946 - Attorney General; access to records.
68-949 - Medical assistance program; legislative intent; department; duties.
68-950 - Medicaid Prescription Drug Act, how cited.
68-954 - Preferred drug list; considerations; availability of list.
68-962 - Autism Treatment Program Act; act, how cited.
68-963 - Purpose of Autism Treatment Program Act.
68-964 - Autism Treatment Program; created; administration; funding.
68-965 - Autism Treatment Program Cash Fund; created; use; investment.
68-966 - Department; apply for medical assistance program waiver or amendment; legislative intent.
68-968 - School-based health centers; School Health Center Advisory Council; members.
68-970 - Nebraska Regional Poison Center; legislative findings.
68-975 - Department; apply for amendment to medicaid state plan; multisystemic therapy for youth.
68-977 - Ground Emergency Medical Transport Act; act, how cited.
68-980 - Supplemental reimbursement.
68-981 - Supplemental reimbursement; eligibility.
68-982 - Supplemental reimbursement; calculation and payment.
68-983 - Intergovernmental transfer program; department; powers and duties.
68-985 - Governmental entity; duties.
68-986 - Department; amendment to medicaid state plan; department; powers.
68-988 - Increased capitation payments; commencement.
68-991 - Medical provider; authority to apply for medical assistance.
68-993 - Medical parole; protocol.
68-995 - Contracts and agreements; department; duties.
68-996 - Medicaid Managed Care Excess Profit Fund; created; use; investment.
68-997 - Job-skills programs; voluntary; departments; powers and duties.
68-998 - Managed care organization; provider contract; material change; notice.
68-999 - Direct care staff; psychiatric facilities caring for juveniles; standards.
68-9,101 - Multiple procedure payment reduction policy; implementation; when prohibited.
68-1001 - Assistance to the aged, blind, or disabled; program; administration.
68-1001.01 - Department of Health and Human Services; rules and regulations; promulgate.
68-1001.02 - Assistance; action for reimbursement; statute of limitations; when commences to run.
68-1002 - Persons eligible for assistance.
68-1003 - Assistance to the aged; additional qualifications required.
68-1004 - Assistance to the blind; additional qualifications required.
68-1006 - Assistance to the aged, blind, or disabled; amount authorized per person; payment.
68-1006.01 - Personal needs allowance; amount authorized.
68-1007 - Determination of need; elements considered; amounts disregarded.
68-1008 - Application for assistance; investigation; notification.
68-1014 - Assistance; payment to guardian or conservator; when authorized.
68-1016 - Assistance; appeals; procedure.
68-1017 - Assistance; violations; penalties.
68-1017.01 - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; violations; penalties.
68-1018 - Transferred to section 68-903.
68-1019 - Transferred to section 68-911.
68-1019.01 - Transferred to section 68-912.
68-1020 - Transferred to section 68-915.
68-1021 - Transferred to section 68-906.
68-1022 - Transferred to section 68-910.
68-1023 - Transferred to section 68-908.
68-1025.01 - Transferred to section 68-913.
68-1026 - Transferred to section 68-916.
68-1027 - Transferred to section 68-917.
68-1028 - Transferred to section 68-918.
68-1036.02 - Transferred to section 68-919.
68-1036.03 - Transferred to section 68-920.
68-1037.01 - Transferred to section 68-1073.
68-1037.02 - Transferred to section 68-1074.
68-1037.03 - Transferred to section 68-1075.
68-1037.04 - Transferred to section 68-1079.
68-1037.05 - Transferred to section 68-1080.
68-1038 - Transferred to section 68-921.
68-1039 - Transferred to section 68-922.
68-1040 - Transferred to section 68-923.
68-1042 - Transferred to section 68-924.
68-1043 - Transferred to section 68-925.
68-1073 - Transferred to section 68-934.
68-1074 - Transferred to section 68-935.
68-1075 - Transferred to section 68-936.
68-1076 - Transferred to section 68-937.
68-1077 - Transferred to section 68-938.
68-1078 - Transferred to section 68-939.
68-1079 - Transferred to section 68-940.
68-1080 - Transferred to section 68-941.
68-1081 - Transferred to section 68-942.
68-1082 - Transferred to section 68-943.
68-1083 - Transferred to section 68-944.
68-1084 - Transferred to section 68-945.
68-1085 - Transferred to section 68-946.
68-1086 - Transferred to section 68-947.
68-10,100 - Transferred to section 68-926.
68-10,101 - Transferred to section 68-927.
68-10,102 - Transferred to section 68-928.
68-10,103 - Transferred to section 68-929.
68-10,104 - Transferred to section 68-930.
68-10,105 - Transferred to section 68-931.
68-10,106 - Transferred to section 68-932.
68-10,107 - Transferred to section 68-933.
68-1103 - Committee; officers; meetings.
68-1105 - Committee; special committees; members; expenses.
68-1106 - Committee; federal funds; grants; gifts; acceptance; disposition.
68-1108 - Department of Health and Human Services; report.
68-1112 - Legislative findings.
68-1113 - Purpose of act; legislative intent.
68-1115 - Funding for aging and disability resource centers.
68-1116 - Aging and disability resource centers; services.
68-1117 - Area agency on aging or partnering organization; powers and duties.
68-1119 - Reimbursement; schedule.
68-1120 - Funding; legislative intent.
68-1201 - Eligibility determination; exclusion of certain assets and income.
68-1202 - Social services; services included.
68-1207.01 - Department of Health and Human Services; caseloads report; contents.
68-1208 - Rules and regulations; right of appeal and hearings.
68-1209 - Applications for social services; information; safeguarded.
68-1211 - Case management of child welfare services; legislative findings and declarations.
68-1214 - Case managers; training program; department; duties; training curriculum; contents.
68-1215 - Low-income home energy assistance program; eligibility; determination.
68-1216 - Low-income home energy assistance program; allocation of funds.
68-1403 - Genetically handicapped persons; medical care program; services and treatment included.
68-1404 - Medical care of genetically handicapping conditions; reimbursement.
68-1406 - Benefits and services; payment liability.
68-1502 - Legislative findings.
68-1504 - Department of Health and Human Services; provide support; expenses; compensation.
68-1505 - Support; families; eligibility requirements.
68-1506 - Support; disabled person in independent living situation; eligibility requirements.
68-1507 - Eligibility; department determine.
68-1508 - Support; allocation of costs; basis.
68-1509 - Department; needs and eligibility criteria; factors.
68-1511 - Department; payment of support; provide assistance; providers of programs and services.
68-1512 - Support; maximum allowance; limitations.
68-1513 - Department; review needs of support recipient.
68-1514 - Denial of support; hearing provided.
68-1515 - Rules and regulations; contents.
68-1516 - Department; provide support; when; priorities.
68-1517 - Department; expenditure of funds authorized.
68-1518 - Department; report; contents.
68-1519 - Obtaining support in violation of sections; violation; penalty.
68-1520 - Legislative findings.
68-1522 - Nebraska Lifespan Respite Services Program; established.
68-1523 - Program; administration.
68-1524 - Program; requirements.
68-1525 - Services; requirements.
68-1526 - Rules and regulations.
68-1529 - Legislative findings and declarations.
68-1531 - Services and support; eligibility.
68-1532 - Family support program; services and support; priorities.
68-1533 - Family support program; implementation; conditions.
68-1534 - Family support program; evaluation.
68-1603 - Department, defined.
68-1604 - Homeless Shelter Assistance Trust Fund; created; use; investment.
68-1605 - Department; grants; requirements; application; considerations.
68-1607 - Recipients; requirements.
68-1608 - Rules and regulations.
68-1709 - Legislative findings and declarations.
68-1711 - Assessment tool; state agencies; utilize.
68-1715 - Rules and regulations.
68-1719 - Self-sufficiency contract; purpose.
68-1720 - Self-sufficiency contract; contents.
68-1721 - Principal wage earner and other nonexempt members of applicant family; duties.
68-1723 - Cash assistance; requirements; extension of time limit; when; hearing; review.
68-1725 - Alternative payment systems authorized.
68-1726 - Assistance under act; eligibility factors.
68-1727 - Family resource centers; legislative intent.
68-1728 - Services for families and children; legislative findings and declarations.
68-1731 - Family services; legislative intent.
68-1732 - Integrated programs and policies; legislative intent.
68-1733 - Planning process; state agencies; duty to establish.
68-1734 - Application process; legislative intent; common assessment tool.
68-1735.02 - Department of Health and Human Services; report; contents.
68-1735.03 - Legislative intent.
68-1738 - Department of Health and Human Services; duty.
68-1803 - Tax; rate; collection; report.
68-1804 - ICF/DD Reimbursement Protection Fund; created; use; allocation; investment; report.
68-1805 - State medicaid plan; application for amendment; tax; when due.
68-1806 - Collection of tax; discontinued; when; effect.
68-1807 - Failure to pay tax; penalty.
68-1809 - Rules and regulations.
68-1902 - Definitions, where found.
68-1903 - Bed-hold day, defined.
68-1904 - Continuing care retirement community, defined.
68-1905 - Department, defined.
68-1906 - Gross inpatient revenue, defined.
68-1908 - Life care contract, defined.
68-1909 - Medical assistance program, defined.
68-1910 - Medicare day, defined.
68-1911 - Medicare upper payment limit, defined.
68-1912 - Nursing facility, defined.
68-1913 - Quality assurance assessment, defined.
68-1914 - Resident day, defined.
68-1915 - Skilled nursing facility, defined.
68-1916 - Total resident days, defined.
68-1917 - Quality assurance assessment; payment; computation.
68-1919 - Reduction of quality assurance assessment; when.
68-1920 - Aggregate quality assurance assessment; limitation.
68-1921 - Quality assurance assessment; payments; form.
68-1922 - Department; collect quality assurance assessment; remit to State Treasurer.
68-1923 - Quality assurance assessment; report; medicaid cost report; how treated.
68-1924 - Underpayment or overpayment; notice.
68-1926 - Nursing Facility Quality Assurance Fund; created; use; investment.
68-1929 - Aggrieved party; hearing; petition.
68-1930 - Rules and regulations.