Increase the Federal cost share for the supplemental nutrition assistance program administration to improve staffing and retention.

(1) in subsection (a) by inserting, except as provided in subsection (a–1), after costs the 1st place it appears, and

(2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:

The Secretary may pay to each State agency an amount equal to 100 percent of all administrative personnel costs incurred by such agency to carry out the supplemental nutrition assistance program, including—

(A) all costs associated with processing, hiring, and training new employees employed under a merit system of personnel administration as required in section 11(e)(6)(B) by such to carry out such program; and

(B) all costs associated with maintaining such personnel costs..

Wages of such personnel shall be—

(A) not less than the appropriate rate of pay that would be payable to Federal employees under subchapter III of chapter 53 of subpart D of part III of title 5 of the United States Code; and

(B) updated annually to not less than any increase in such rate of pay, including locality adjustments.

Not less than 1 year after the effective date of this subsection, the State agency shall submit to the Secretary for approval, the personnel wage plans implemented by such agency to carry out paragraph (2), including employees’ position titles, duties, wages, and appropriate rates of pay applicable under this subsection.