Section 2020 (e)(20) of this title, referred to in subsec. (f), was redesignated section 2020 (e)(19) of this title by Pub. L. 104–193, title VIII, § 835(1)(D)(i), Aug. 22, 1996, 110 Stat. 2330.

2002—Subsec. (i)(2). Pub. L. 107–171 redesignated subpars. (B) to (I) as (A) to (H), respectively, and struck out former subpar. (A) which read as follows: “determining the cost-effectiveness of the system to ensure that its operational cost, including the pro rata cost of capital expenditures and other reasonable startup costs, does not exceed the operational cost of issuance systems in use prior to the implementation of the electronic benefit transfer system;”.

2000—Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 106–171 added subsec. (k).

1997—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–18, title VII, [(a)(1)], inserted “(except as provided in subsection (j) of this section)” after “necessary, and”.

Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 105–18, title VII, [(a)(2)], added subsec. (j).

1996—Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 104–193, § 825(a)(1), inserted subsec. heading.

Subsec. (i)(1). Pub. L. 104–193, § 825(a)(1), added par. (1) and struck out former par. (1) which read as follows:

“(1)(A) Any State agency may, with the approval of the Secretary, implement an on-line electronic benefit transfer system in which household benefits determined under section 2017 (a) of this title are issued from and stored in a central data bank and electronically accessed by household members at the point-of-sale.

“(B) No State agency may implement or expand an electronic benefit transfer system without prior approval from the Secretary.”

Subsec. (i)(2). Pub. L. 104–193, § 825(a)(2)(A), struck out “effective no later than April 1, 1992,” after “regulations” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (i)(2)(A). Pub. L. 104–193, § 825(a)(2)(B), struck out “, in any 1 year,” after “does not exceed” and “on-line” before “electronic benefit”.

Subsec. (i)(2)(D). Pub. L. 104–193, § 825(a)(2)(C), added subpar. (D) and struck out former subpar. (D) which read as follows: “system security;”.

Subsec. (i)(2)(I). Pub. L. 104–193, § 825(a)(2)(D)–(F), added subpar. (I).

Subsec. (i)(7) to (11). Pub. L. 104–193, § 825(a)(3), added pars. (7) to (11).

1994—Subsec. (h)(1). Pub. L. 103–225 inserted second sentence and struck out former second sentence which read as follows: “The State agency shall establish such a procedure for eligible households residing on reservations.”

1990—Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 101–624, § 1728, amended subsec. (h) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (h) read as follows: “The State agency may implement a procedure for staggering the issuance of coupons to eligible households throughout the entire month: Provided, That the procedure ensures that, in the transition period from other issuance procedures, no eligible household experiences an interval between coupon issuances of more than 40 days, either through regular issuances by the State agency or through supplemental issuances.”

Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 101–624, § 1729(a), added subsec. (i).

1988—Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 100–435 struck out par. (1) designation and par. (2) which read as follows: “For any eligible household that applies for participation in the food stamp program during the last fifteen days of a month and is issued benefits within that period, coupons shall be issued for the first full month of participation by the the [sic] eighth day of the first full month of participation.”

1985—Subsec. (g)(1). Pub. L. 99–198, § 1519, substituted “shall” for “may” in provisions preceding subpar. (A).

Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 99–198, § 1518, added subsec. (h).

1982—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 97–253, § 190(c)(2), substituted reference to section 2020 (e)(20) of this title for former reference to section 2020 (e)(21) of this title.

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 97–253, § 162, added subsec. (g).

1981—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 97–98 substituted “strictly liable” for “responsible” and inserted provision including any losses involving failure of a coupon issuer to comply with the requirements of section 2020 (e)(21) of this title, except that in the case of losses resulting from the issuance and replacement of authorizations for coupons and allotments sent through the mail, State agency liability be to the extent prescribed in regulations.

1977—Pub. L. 95–113 substituted revised provisions relating to issuance and use of coupons for provisions relating to value of the coupon allotment which are now covered by section 2017 of this title.

1976—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 94–339 designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added pars. (2) to (7).

1973—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 93–125 substituted “for households of a given size unless the increase in the face value” for “for value”.

Pub. L. 93–86 substituted provisions relating to determination of semiannual adjustments in face value of coupon allotment for provisions relating to determination of annual adjustments in such allotment.

1971—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 91–671 substituted provision for issuance of coupon allotment in such amount as the Secretary determines to be the cost of a nutritionally adequate diet, adjusted annually to reflect changes in prices of food published by Bureau of Labor Statistics for prior provision for issuance in such amount as will provide households with an opportunity more nearly to obtain a low-cost nutritionally adequate diet and inserted “any” before “households”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 91–671 substituted provisions respecting charges to households for coupon allotments representing reasonable investment on part of the households, issuance of coupon allotments without charge where monthly income is less than $30 for a family of four, and election of coupon allotment with a lesser face value than the face value authorized to be issued for prior provision for a charge determined to be equivalent to normal expenditures for food.

Amendment by Pub. L. 107–171 effective Oct. 1, 2002, except as otherwise provided, see section 4405 of Pub. L. 107–171, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1161 of Title 2, The Congress.

Amendment by section 1728 of Pub. L. 101–624 effective and implemented first day of month beginning 120 days after publication of implementing regulations to be promulgated not later than Oct. 1, 1991, and amendment by section 1729 of Pub. L. 101–624 effective Nov. 28, 1990, see section 1781(a), (b)(2) of Pub. L. 101–624, set out as a note under section 2012 of this title.

Amendment by Pub. L. 100–435 effective Jan. 1, 1989, except with regard to those States not implementing section 203(a) of Pub. L. 100–435 (amending section 2017 of this title), see section 701(b)(3)(B) of Pub. L. 100–435, set out as a note under section 2012 of this title.

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–253 effective Sept. 8, 1982, see section 193(a) of Pub. L. 97–253, set out as a note under section 2012 of this title.

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–98 effective on earlier of Sept. 8, 1982, or date such amendment became effective pursuant to section 1338 of Pub. L. 97–98, set out as a note under section 2012 of this title, see section 192(b) of Pub. L. 97–253, set out as a note under section 2012 of this title.

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–98 effective upon such date as Secretary of Agriculture may prescribe, taking into account need for orderly implementation, see section 1338 of Pub. L. 97–98, set out as a note under section 2012 of this title.

Section 1301 of Pub. L. 95–113 provided that the amendment made by that section is effective Oct. 1, 1977.

Pub. L. 107–171, title IV, § 4111, May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 309, provided that:

“(a) Definition of EBT System.—In this section, the term ‘EBT system’ means an electronic benefit transfer system used in issuance of benefits under the food stamp program under the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.).

“(b) Report.—Not later than October 1, 2003, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report that—

“(1) describes the status of use by each State agency of EBT systems;

“(2) specifies the number of vendors that have entered into a contract for an EBT system with a State agency;

“(3)(A) specifies the number of State agencies that have entered into an EBT-system contract with multiple EBT-system vendors; and

“(B) describes, for each State agency described in subparagraph (A), how responsibilities are divided among the various vendors;

“(4) with respect to any State in which an EBT system is not operational throughout the State as of October 1, 2002—

“(A) provides an explanation of the reasons why an EBT system is not operational throughout the State;

“(B) describes how the reasons are being addressed; and

“(C) specifies the expected date of operation of an EBT system throughout the State;

“(5) provides a description of—

“(A) the issues faced by any State agency that has awarded a second EBT-system contract in the 2-year period preceding the date of the report; and

“(B) the steps that the State agency has taken to address those issues;

“(6) provides a description of—

“(A) the issues faced by any State agency that will award a second EBT-system contract within the 2-year period beginning on the date of the report; and

“(B) strategies that the State agency is considering to address those issues;

“(7) describes initiatives being considered or taken by the Department of Agriculture, food retailers, EBT-system vendors, and client advocates to address any outstanding issues with respect to EBT systems; and

“(8) examines areas of potential advances in electronic benefit delivery in the 5- to 10-year period beginning on the date of the report, including—

“(A) access to EBT systems at farmers’ markets;

“(B) increased use of transaction data from EBT systems to identify and prosecute fraud; and

“(C) fostering of increased competition among EBT-system vendors to ensure cost containment and optimal service.”

Pub. L. 106–171, § 2, Feb. 11, 2000, 114 Stat. 3, provided that: “The purposes of this Act [amending this section and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and section 2011 of this title] are—

“(1) to protect the integrity of the food stamp program;

“(2) to ensure cost-effective portability of food stamp benefits across State borders without imposing additional administrative expenses for special equipment to address problems relating to the portability;

“(3) to enhance the flow of interstate commerce involving electronic transactions involving food stamp benefits under a uniform national standard of interoperability and portability; and

“(4) to eliminate the inefficiencies resulting from a patchwork of State-administered systems and regulations established to carry out the food stamp program.”

Pub. L. 106–171, § 4, Feb. 11, 2000, 114 Stat. 6, provided that: “Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [Feb. 11, 2000], the Secretary of Agriculture shall study and report to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate on alternatives for handling interstate electronic benefit transactions involving food stamp benefits provided under the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), including the feasibility and desirability of a single hub for switching (as defined in section 7(k)(1) of that Act [7 U.S.C. 2016 (k)(1)] (as added by section 3)).”

Pub. L. 102–237, title IX, § 908(a)(1), Dec. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1886, as amended by Pub. L. 103–11, § 1, Apr. 1, 1993, 107 Stat. 41; Pub. L. 103–205, § 1, Dec. 17, 1993, 107 Stat. 2418, provided that no State agency be required to implement 7 U.S.C. 2016 (h)(1), regarding staggering of issuance of food stamp coupons, until Mar. 15, 1994, and directed Secretary of Agriculture to issue final regulations requiring staggered issuance of coupons no later than Dec. 1, 1992, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103–225, title I, § 104(a), Mar. 25, 1994, 108 Stat. 107.

Pub. L. 94–4, Feb. 20, 1975, 89 Stat. 6, provided that notwithstanding the provisions of 7 U.S.C. 2016 (b), the charge imposed on any household for a coupon allotment under this chapter after Feb. 20, 1975, and prior to Dec. 30, 1975, could not exceed the charge that would have been imposed on such household for such coupon allotment under rules and regulations promulgated under this chapter and in effect on Jan. 1, 1975.