276.5—Injunctive relief.
(a) General.
If FNS determines that a State agency has failed to comply with the Food Stamp Act, the regulations issued pursuant to the Act, or the FNS-approved State Plan of Operations, the Secretary may seek injunctive relief against the State agency to require compliance. The Secretary may request injunctive relief concurrently with negligence billings and sanctions against State agencies affecting administrative funds.
(b) Requesting injunctive relief.
Prior to seeking injunctive relief to require compliance, FNS shall notify the State agency of the determination of noncompliance and provide the State agency with a specific period of time to correct the deficiency. The Secretary shall have the discretion to determine the time periods State agencies will have to correct deficiencies. If the State agency does not correct the failure within the specified time period and the Department decides to seek injunctive relief, the Secretary shall refer the matter to the Attorney General with a request that injunctive relief be sought to require compliance.