
FNS shall exempt any State agency from the requirement to establish an administrative disqualification system if the State agency has already entered into an agreement, pursuant to paragraph (g)(1) of this section, with the State's Attorney General's Office or, where necessary, with county prosecutors.


(2) Each State agency shall establish a system for conducting administrative disqualifications for intentional Program violation which conforms with the procedures outlined in paragraph (e) of this section. The State agency may initiate administrative disqualification procedures or refer a case for prosecution regardless of the current eligibility of the individual. The State agency shall not initiate an administrative disqualification hearing against an accused individual whose case is currently being referred for prosecution or subsequent to any action taken against the accused individual by the prosecutor or court of appropriate jurisdiction, if the factual issues of the case arise out of the same, or related, circumstances. The State agency should conduct administrative disqualification hearings in cases in which the State agency believes the facts of the individual case do not warrant civil or criminal prosecution through the appropriate court system, in cases previously referred for prosecution that were declined by the appropriate legal authority, and in previously referred cases where no action was taken within a reasonable period of time and the referral was formally withdrawn by the State agency. If the State agency does not initiate administrative disqualification procedures or refer for prosecution a case involving an overissuance caused by a suspected act of intentional Program violation, the State agency shall take action to collect the overissuance by establishing an inadvertent household error claim against the household in accordance with the procedures in § 273.18. Administrative disqualification procedures or referral for prosecution action should be initiated by the State agency in cases in which the State agency has sufficient documentary evidence to substantiate that an individual has intentionally made one or more acts of intentional Program violation as defined in paragraph (c) of this section. (1) The State agency shall be responsible for investigating any case of alleged intentional Program violation, and ensuring that appropriate cases are acted upon either through administrative disqualification hearings or referral to a court of appropriate jurisdiction in accordance with the procedures outlined in this section.

§ 273.16 Disqualification for intentional Program violation.
