New regs for Wednesday: Drugs, prison, food stamps

Wednesday’s edition of the Federal Register contains new rules for the drug known as bath salts, prison phone calls and food stamps.

Here’s what is happening:

Bath salts: The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is cracking down on the drug known as “bath salts.”

The DEA placed 10 new versions of synthetic cathinones, better known as bath salts, on Schedule 1, which prohibits the public from using these drugs.

The ban goes into effect immediately.

Prison: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is reviewing rules for phone calls made from prison.

The FCC issued new rates for inmate calling services in December 2015, and the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) last month approved a data collection request by the agency to review the progress of the rule.

This could potentially lead to changes in the rule.

Food stamps: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is delaying new eligibility requirements for food stamps.

The USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) proposed last December eligibility requirements that would prohibit criminals convicted of murder, sexual assault and “fleeing felons” from receiving food stamps. The ban also extended to households that won the lottery. But the agency is reopening the comment period to give the public more time to consider the changes.

The public has 30 days to comment.