Summer electronic benefits transfer for children program - duties

(1) The department is the designated partner agency for the summer electronic benefits transfer for children program created in the department of human services pursuant to section 26-2-309. (2) To administer the summer electronic benefits transfer for children program, the department shall: (a) Develop an outreach plan and conduct outreach to local education providers, as defined in section 22-16-103, and school food authorities, as defined in section 26-2-309; (b) Provide technical assistance to school food authorities, specifically school food authorities located in rural areas; and (c) Collect the minimum student-level data necessary to gather and maintain eligibility information required by the summer electronic benefits transfer for children program and share the data with the department of human services for the administration of the summer electronic benefits transfer for children program as set forth in section 26-2-309 (5). (3) The department of human services and the department shall jointly: (a) Develop protocols for the sharing of relevant data necessary for the administration of the summer electronic benefits transfer for children program and outreach to households with students who are eligible for the program; (b) Streamline data collection; and (c) Develop and provide an opt-out process for parents, legal guardians, and emancipated students, to the extent allowable pursuant to the federal requirements for the summer electronic benefits transfer for children program. (4) (a) For state fiscal year 2023-24, the general assembly shall appropriate one hundred sixty-nine thousand eight hundred seventy dollars to the department from the general fund for purposes of this section. Any money appropriated pursuant to this subsection (4)(a) that is not expended prior to July 1, 2024, remains available for expenditure for the same purpose in the 2024-25 state fiscal year without further appropriation. (b) For state fiscal year 2024-25, the general assembly shall appropriate three hundred ninety-three thousand eight hundred six dollars to the department from the general fund for purposes of this section. Any money appropriated pursuant to this subsection (4)(b) that is not expended prior to July 1, 2025, remains available for expenditure for the same purpose in the 2025-26 state fiscal year without further appropriation.