[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3805 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3805

 To amend the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to provide to States an option to 
       provide food assistance to foster community reintegration.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 10, 2007

 Mr. Ellison introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                        Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to provide to States an option to 
       provide food assistance to foster community reintegration.

    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 ``Food Stamp Equality Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. STATE OPTION TO PROVIDE FOOD ASSISTANCE TO FOSTER COMMUNITY 
              REINTEGRATION.

    (a) In General.--Section 6 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
2015) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(p) State Option To Provide Food Assistance to Foster Community 
Reintegration.--
            ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding section 115(a) of the 
        Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act 
        of 1996 (21 U.S.C. 862a(a)), except as provided in paragraph 
        (2), section 115(a) of that Act shall not apply in the case of 
        benefits under the food stamp program or any State program 
        carried out under this Act.
            ``(2) State options.--
                    ``(A) Limitation on receipt of food stamp 
                benefits.--
                            ``(i) In general.--A State may elect to 
                        exempt any or all individuals domiciled in the 
                        State from paragraph (1), or limit the period 
                        for which that paragraph shall apply, by 
                        specific reference in a law enacted on or after 
                        the date of enactment of this subsection.
                            ``(ii) State law.--
                                    ``(I) Enacted before effective 
                                date.--If a State law described in 
                                clause (i) is enacted before the 
                                effective date of this subsection, 
                                clause (i) shall apply to conduct 
                                occurring after August 22, 1996, to the 
                                extent provided in the State law.
                                    ``(II) Enacted on or after 
                                effective date.--If a State law 
                                described in clause (i) is enacted on 
                                or after the effective date of this 
                                subsection, clause (i) shall apply to 
                                conduct occurring on or after the date 
                                of enactment of that law to the extent 
                                provided in the State law.
                    ``(B) Continuation of allowing receipt of food 
                stamp benefits.--In the case of a State that prior to 
                the effective date of this subsection made an election 
                under section 115(d)(1) of the Personal Responsibility 
                and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (21 
                U.S.C. 862a(d)(1)), the State may continue to apply 
                that election in accordance with that law.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) takes 
effect on the date that is 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act.
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