S. 4836

[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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