Treatment of inactive accounts; expungement of unused benefits.
(a)#
If, for a period of 6 months or longer, an individual or household that is receiving benefits under this section through an electronic benefit transfer system uses no benefits that have been posted to the individual’s or household’s benefit account, the department shall remove all benefits from the account electronically and store them offline. The benefits being stored offline shall be made available to the individual or household again within 48 hours after a request by the individual or a member of the household to restore the benefits or upon reapplication by the individual or household for benefits under this section, whichever is applicable. The department shall attempt to notify the individual or household before benefits are removed from the account under this paragraph and shall describe the steps that the individual or household must take to get the benefits returned to the account.
(b)#
The department shall expunge any benefits that have not been used after a period of one year, regardless of whether either of the following applies: 1. The benefits have been removed from an inactive benefit account under par. (a) and are being stored offline. 2. The benefits are still posted to an active account.
(b)(1)#
The benefits have been removed from an inactive benefit account under par. (a) and are being stored offline.
(b)(2)#
The benefits are still posted to an active account.
(c)#
The department shall seek any necessary approval from the U.S. department of agriculture to implement this subsection. If the U.S. department of agriculture disapproves, the department may not implement this subsection.