Domestic Food Assistance Act of 1985

Domestic Food Assistance Act of 1985 - Title I: Food Stamp Program - Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to decrease from 20 percent to 18 percent the proportion of earned income disregarded for food stamp eligibility and benefit purposes.

Requires that Federal educational grants shall be considered income for food stamp purposes to the extent that such grants are not used for tuition or mandatory school fees and regardless of whether they may be earmarked as reimbursements for expenses. Requires that payments for living expenses made to third parties on behalf of a household by State or local governments shall be considered as money payable directly to the household. Exempts medical assistance, child care assistance, energy assistance, and emergency or special assistance from such requirement. Requires that income received by participants in Job Training Partnership Act programs be counted as earned income for food stamp purposes.

Diregards payments made to energy suppliers under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program for purposes of determining the household shelter expense deduction for food stamp purposes. Allows States to use a standard utility allowance for households for which such payments have been made to a supplier if such household incurs out-of-pocket heating or cooling expenses.

Requires that States use monthly reporting and retrospective budgeting for households having earned income or any recent work history. Provides that elderly or disabled households with no earned income and migrant households shall be subject to prospective budgeting and a requirement to report changes in household circumstances when they occur (rather than monthly). Allows States the option of whether to apply monthly reporting and retrospective budgeting to other types of households.

Grants automatic food stamp eligibility to households in which all members receive either Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. Specifies that eligibility for food stamps may not be denied or terminated solely on the basis of an AFDC or SSI eligibility determination.

Provides that disqualification for failure to meet any of the food stamp programs work requirements shall be two months, or until the requirement is complied with, or until the household member who fails to comply leaves the household. Requires States to operate a job search program for food stamp recipients. Increases the basic allocation for job search activities from $30 million to $40 million in FY 1986, and $50 million in FY 1987 and each FY thereafter. Requires that the Federal Government share in half the cost of any efforts beyond a State's share of the basic allocation.

Allows staggered issuance of food stamps throughout the month (rather than at set times every month). Prohibits food-price increases by retailers or wholesalers relating to the issuance of food stamps.

Requires the use of alternative means of issuing food stamps if it is determined that such means could improve program integrity.

Prohibits financial institutions which redeem food stamps from retailers from charging a fee for redemption if the food stamps are submitted in accordance with Federal Reserve Board requirements.

Requires States to periodically assess the need for operating food stamp offices within the State during evening and weekend hours.

Requires States to provide a method of certifying and issuing food stamps to eligible households not residing in a permanent dwelling or without a fixed mailing address.

Provides that any disqualified retail food store or wholesale food concern which is sold or otherwise transferred shall be subject to a civil money penalty based upon the amount of disqualification time remaining. Imposes such penalty on the person who sells or transfers such store or concern.

Authorizes appropriations for FY 1986 through 1989. Provides that no funds appropriated to carry out this Act may be transferred to the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Agriculture.

Requires that States transfer to the Federal Government an estimated amount equal to the sales taxes collected on food stamp purchases in the State.

Continues the authorization of $825 million for the Puerto Rico Block Grant for nutrition assistance through FY 1989. Revises certain administrative provisions of the Puerto Rico Block Grant program.

Authorizes States to establish community work experience programs. Sets forth the purposes and requirements for such programs.

Title II: Nutrition Surveillance - Amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to require the Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a comprehensive nutritional status monitoring program. Specifies requirements for such program.

Title III: Food Distribution and Emergency Shelters - Allows public or private nonprofit agencies receiving agricultural commodities to transfer those commodities to other public or private nonprofit organizations which agree to use the commodities to assist low-income groups without cost or waste.

Amends the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973 to extend from FY 1985 to FY 1989 the authorization of appropriations to obtain commodities for the commodity supplemental food program. Requires the continuation of pilot commodity supplemental food projects for the elderly. Extends through 1989 current requirements for the provision of Federal funds for State and local administrative operating costs.

Amends the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 to extend the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program through FY 1989.

Authorizes commissary stores of the Department of Defense to donate surplus, unmarketable food to local food banks.

Title IV: Effective Dates - Sets forth the effective dates of the provisions of this Act.