DISTRIBUTION OF COMMODITIES AND SNAP BENEFITS

(a) The department is responsible for the distribution of commodities and the commission is responsible for the distribution of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits allocated respectively to the department and the commission by the federal government. (b) The department and commission may enter into agreements with federal agencies that are required as a prerequisite to the allocation of the commodities or supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits. The department and commission may enter into agreements with eleemosynary institutions, schools, and other eligible agencies and recipients of the commodities and supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits. The department may cooperate with a municipality or county as necessary to properly administer the distribution of federal surplus commodities and other resources for which the department is responsible. (c) The department and the executive commissioner, as applicable, shall establish policies and rules that will ensure the widest and most efficient distribution of the commodities and supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits to those eligible to receive them. (c-1) The executive commissioner by rule shall establish a schedule for the distribution of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits that ensures the even distribution of the benefits each month over a 28-day period. (d) The commission shall continually monitor the expedited issuance of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits to ensure that each region in the state complies with federal regulations and that those households eligible for expedited issuance are identified, processed, and certified within the timeframes prescribed within the federal regulations. (e) The commission shall screen all applicants for expedited issuance of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits on a priority basis within one working day. Applicants who meet the federal criteria for expedited issuance and have an immediate need for food assistance shall receive those benefits within one working day. (f) The commission shall conspicuously post in each local supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits office a notice of the availability of and procedure for applying for expedited issuance. (g) The commission may, within federal limits, modify the one-day screening and service delivery requirements prescribed by Subsection (e) if the commission determines that the modification is necessary to reduce fraud in the supplemental nutrition assistance program.