SF4645

Purpose

This bill makes changes to Minnesota’s SNAP program (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). It tightens asset and income rules, strengthens how assets are reported and checked, and sets the work requirement for able-bodied adults without dependents to the federal maximum.

Main Provisions

• SNAP eligibility and asset limits

  • All SNAP households must be eligible under the program rules related to SNAP (as described in existing statute).
  • Applicants must show gross income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines for their family size.
  • Applicants must attest in writing that their financial resources meet federal resource requirements, with two changes:
  • Total financial resources may not exceed $20,000.
  • Two licensed vehicles per household are excluded from the resource limit.

• Asset, debt, and farming disclosures

  • Applicants must attest to all assets and their values, all debt obligations, and the amounts owed.
  • They must also attest whether any assets (land, equipment, and supplies) are related to farming operations.
  • Applicants must attest whether they have deferred or voluntarily delayed any payments in the last six months (including Social Security payments or retirement account distributions). If they have deferred or delayed any payments, they are not eligible for SNAP.

• Verification and monitoring

  • County agencies must verify the asset attestations for any applicant who previously received SNAP benefits for a total of 120 days in the prior calendar year.
  • For applicants who received SNAP benefits fewer than 120 days in the prior year, counties must verify a random sample of continuing recipients’ asset attestations 120 days after the date of application, using this schedule:
  • 1% of those with assets under $5,000
  • 2% of those with assets between $5,000 and $9,999
  • 5% of those with assets between $10,000 and $14,999
  • 10% of those with assets between $15,000 and $20,000
  • Those who continue to receive benefits after the 120-day verification must then be verified on the standard income verification schedule.
  • If assets are related to agricultural business activities, they will not be re-verified more than once every 36 months.

• Farming assets and related considerations

  • The bill recognizes farming-related assets and includes them in reporting and verification, with special treatment to avoid excessive rechecking for agricultural assets.

• Work requirement

  • The work requirement for ABAWDs (Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents) is set at the maximum allowed under federal law.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Sets a specific asset limit of $20,000 for SNAP households and excludes two licensed vehicles from the limit.
• Requires comprehensive asset, debt, and farming-related attestations and tightens rules about deferred payments.
• Adds a structured, dollar-based random verification system tied to asset levels and days of prior SNAP participation.
• Establishes farming-related assets as a recognized category with a longer verification interval (not more than once every 36 months).
• Aligns the ABAWD work requirement with the federal maximum.

Administration and Implementation

• County agencies will handle initial asset attestations, verification, and referrals to resources to help applicants manage debt and financial obligations.
• The Department of Children, Youth and Families will work with counties on these processes.

Impact Summary

• The bill increases oversight of SNAP assets and resources, potentially restricting eligibility for some households due to the new $20,000 asset limit and vehicle exclusion.
• It introduces more frequent and systematic verification of assets, with specific sampling rates based on asset size.
• It tightens requirements around farming-related assets and ensures alignment with federal work requirements for ABAWDs.

Relevant Terms

• SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)
• assets, liquid assets, non-liquid assets
• gross income, 200% of federal poverty guidelines
• financial resources, resource limits
• two licensed vehicles (excluded from resource limits)
• farming operation, agricultural assets
• debt obligations, debt, financial obligations
• defer or delayed payments, Social Security, retirement accounts
• asset attestations, asset verification
• counties, county agencies
• Department of Children, Youth and Families
• random sampling, verification schedule
• ABAWD, Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents
• federal maximum work requirement under federal law