Section 1240-01-09-.01 - ELIGIBILTY REQUIREMENTS(1) A Families First group with earnings whose case is closed because their income exceeds the Families First income standards may be eligible for five (5) months of Transitional Food Stamps (TFS) if they are part of a currently certified food stamp case.(a) The Families First closure may be because of new or increased earnings, or because another circumstance occurred in the case which caused existing earnings (with or without other income) to exceed the Families First income standard.(2) Transitional benefits begin the first month following closure of the Families First case, or as soon as is administratively feasible, and continue for a maximum of five (5) months.(3) A household member who leaves the Transitional Food Stamp household during receipt of TFS benefits must re-apply for regular food stamp benefits in order to re-gain food stamp eligibility. He/she may not continue to receive Transitional Food Stamp benefits in a separate household.(4) Transitional benefits continue throughout the five-month period unless the household re-applies and is approved for Families First or re-applies for regular food stamp benefits.(5) Only eligible food stamp household members are eligible for Transitional Food Stamps; i.e., ineligible or disqualified individuals are not eligible for TFS.(6) All food stamp household members do not have to have been receiving Families First to be eligible for transitional benefits. However, if there is an open Families First case remaining within the food stamp household, the food stamp household is not eligible for Transitional Food Stamps.Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1240-01-09-.01
Original rule filed December 15, 2004; effective February 28, 2005.Authority: T.C.A.§§ 4-5-201 et seq., 4-5-202, 71-1-105, 71-3-154, and 71-5-304; 7 U.S.C.A. §§ 2012(c), 2015(c) and 2020(s); 42 U.S.C.A. § 601 et seq.; 7 C.F.R. § 273.12(f)(4); P. L. 107-171 § 4115; and 69 Federal Register 20724 and 20728, April 16, 2004.