SenateS. 4836119th Congress
SNAP Staffing Flexibility Act of 2026
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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4836 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4836
To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to allow for blended
workforces to carry out the supplemental nutrition assistance program
under certain conditions, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 18, 2026
Mr. Ricketts introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to allow for blended
workforces to carry out the supplemental nutrition assistance program
under certain conditions, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``SNAP Staffing Flexibility Act of
2026''.
SEC. 2. SNAP STAFFING FLEXIBILITY.
Section 11 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2020) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(y) Staffing Flexibility.--
``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding subsection (e)(6)(B), a
State agency may, subject to paragraph (2), hire 1 or more
contractors, by contract, to undertake the certification
described in subsection (e)(6)(A) or carry out any other
function of the State agency under the supplemental nutrition
assistance program, subject to paragraph (3).
``(2) Circumstances for hiring.--
``(A) In general.--A State agency may hire 1 or
more contractors under paragraph (1) if the State
agency--
``(i) experiences an increase in
applications to the supplemental nutrition
assistance program; or
``(ii) cannot timely process applications
to the supplemental nutrition assistance
program, including due to--
``(I) a pandemic or other health
emergency;
``(II) a seasonal workforce cycle;
``(III) a temporary staffing
shortage; and
``(IV) weather or other natural
disaster.
``(B) Temporary staffing shortage.--In the case of
a State agency hiring 1 or more contractors under
paragraph (1) due to a temporary staffing shortage
under subparagraph (A)(ii)(III), the authority of a
State agency to conduct that hiring--
``(i) shall expire when the backlog of
applications to the supplemental nutrition
assistance program has been eliminated; and
``(ii) shall not impact any collective
bargaining agreement or memorandum of
understanding in effect between the State and
employees of the State or a local government of
the State.
``(3) Requirements.--
``(A) No incentives for delay or denial.--A
contract entered into by a State agency under paragraph
(1) shall not provide incentives for the State agency
or contractor to delay eligibility determinations or
deny eligibility for individuals otherwise eligible for
benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance
program.
``(B) No financial interest.--A State agency may
not hire a contractor under paragraph (1) if the
contractor has a direct or indirect financial interest
in any approved retail store or wholesale food concern
in the State.
``(4) Administration.--A State agency that hires 1 or more
contractors under paragraph (1) shall ensure that--
``(A) the contracts are for a reasonable cost and
in accordance with the standard contracting rules of
the State agency;
``(B) hiring is consistent with the principles
described in section 900.603 of title 5, Code of
Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation); and
``(C) the contractors--
``(i) are part of a blended government
workforce; and
``(ii) do not supplant existing merit-based
personnel in the State.
``(5) State agency notification.--
``(A) In general.--A State agency that hires 1 or
more contractors under paragraph (1) shall notify the
Secretary of such hiring, including providing
information or data indicating the applicable
circumstance under paragraph (2) for carrying out that
hiring.
``(B) Publication.--Not later than 10 days after
the date of receipt of a notification under
subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall make publicly
available on the website of the Department of
Agriculture the notification and the accompanying
information or data.
``(6) Annual report.--The Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate
and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of
Representatives an annual report that describes--
``(A) the measures taken by State agencies to
address increases in applications to the supplemental
nutrition assistance program;
``(B) reasons for the inability of State agencies
to timely process those applications, as applicable;
``(C) the information or data submitted with each
notification under paragraph (5)(A); and
``(D) any recommended changes to the authority of
the Secretary to assist State and local agencies in
preparing for any future increase in applications to
the supplemental nutrition assistance program or
inability to timely process those applications.''.
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