HAR §17-610-15. Nature of reduction action

(a) To avoid an expenditure of funds beyond those appropriated §17-610-15 610-14 by the Congress of the United States for SNAP, action to comply with section 18 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977, as amended (7 U.S.C. §2027) by the Secretary, may include: (1) Suspension or cancellation of allotments for one or more months; (2) Reduction in allotment levels for one or more months; or (3) Combination of reduction, suspension, and cancellation for one or more months. (b) If a reduction in allotment is deemed neces- sary, allotments shall be reduced by reducing maximum benefit amounts for each household size by the same percentage which would result in: (1) All households of a given size having the household's benefits reduced by the same dollar amount; and (2) The dollar reduction being smallest for one person households and greatest for the largest households. (c) All one and two person households affected by a reduction action shall be guaranteed the minimum benefit unless the action is a: (1) Cancellation of benefits; (2) Suspension of benefits; or (3) Reduction of benefits by ninety per cent or more of the total amount of benefits projected to be issued in the affected month. [Eff 3/19/93; am 11/22/08; am and comp 6/24/13] (Auth: HRS §346-14) (Imp: 7 C.F.R. §271.7(b)) §17-610-16 Implementation of allotment reduc- tions, suspensions, and cancellations. (a) When FNS notifies the department of a decision to reduce the monthly SNAP allotment, the date the reduction is to take effect, and the percentage of reduction of the thrifty food plan amounts for each household size, the department shall take immediate action to effect the reduction for the affected month, without a public hearing, by: (1) Making necessary computer adjustments; §17-610-17 610-15 (2) Reproducing the issuance tables provided by FNS and distributing the tables to issuance personnel; (3) Ensuring one and two person households whose reduced allotments would be less than $10 shall receive a minimum allotment of $10 except as provided in section 17-610-15(c); and (4) Adjusting the computer to round benefit levels of $1, $3, and $5 to $2, $4, and $6 respectively. (b) If FNS notifies the department of a decision to suspend or cancel the distribution of SNAP benefits in a given month and of the date the suspension or cancellation is to take effect: (1) The provision for a minimum benefit level shall be disregarded and all households' benefits shall be suspended or canceled; and (2) The department shall take immediate action to effect the suspension or cancellation for the affected month by: (A) Making necessary computer adjustments; and (B) Notifying personnel of the suspension or cancellation. (c) Allotments or portions of allotments repre- senting restored or retroactive benefits for a prior unaffected month shall not be reduced, suspended, or canceled, even though the allotments are issued during an affected month. (d) The department shall act immediately to resume issuing benefits to certified households and shall resume benefit issuance as soon as practicable when notified by FNS that a suspension of benefit is over. [Eff 3/19/93; am 11/22/08; am and comp 6/24/13] (Auth: HRS §346-14) (Imp: 7 C.F.R. §§271.7(d)(1), (2), (3))