HF 1534

Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 02/26/2025 02:52 p.m.

A bill for an act
relating to health; transferring the healthy eating, here at home program to the
Department of Health; establishing the fresh bucks pilot program; requiring a
report; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 138.912,
subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 6; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 138.912,
subdivision 7.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 138.912, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Establishment.

The healthy eating, here at home program is established
to provide incentives for low-income Minnesotans to use federal Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP) new text begin or Summer EBT new text end benefits for healthy purchases at
Minnesota-based farmers' markets, mobile markets, and direct-farmer sales, including
community-supported agriculture shares.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 138.912, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Definitions.

(a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this section.

(b) "Healthy eating, here at home" means a program administered by the deleted text begin Minnesota
Humanities Center deleted text end new text begin Department of Health new text end to provide incentives for low-income Minnesotans
to use SNAP new text begin or Summer EBT new text end benefits for healthy purchases at Minnesota-based farmers'
markets.

(c) "Healthy purchases" means SNAP-eligible foods.

(d) "Minnesota-based farmers' market" means a physical market as defined in section
28A.151, subdivision 1, paragraph (b), and also includes mobile markets and direct-farmer
sales, including through a community-supported agriculture model.

(e) "Voucher" means a physical or electronic credit.

(f) "Eligible household" means an individual or family that is determined to be a recipient
of SNAP new text begin or Summer EBT new text end .

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 138.912, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Grants.

The deleted text begin Minnesota Humanities Center deleted text end new text begin Department of Health new text end shall allocate
grant funds to nonprofit organizations that work with Minnesota-based farmers' markets to
provide up to $10 vouchers to SNAP new text begin or Summer EBT new text end participants who use electronic
benefits transfer (EBT) cards for healthy purchases. Funds may also be provided for vouchers
distributed through nonprofit organizations engaged in healthy cooking and food education
outreach to eligible households for use at farmers' markets. Funds appropriated under this
section may not be used for healthy cooking classes or food education outreach. When
awarding grants, the deleted text begin Minnesota Humanities Center deleted text end new text begin Department of Health new text end must consider
how the nonprofit organizations will achieve geographic balance, including specific efforts
to reach eligible households across the state, and the organizations' capacity to manage the
programming and outreach.

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 138.912, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Household eligibility; participation.

To be eligible for a healthy eating, here
at home voucher, an eligible household must meet the Minnesota SNAP new text begin or Summer EBT new text end
eligibility requirements under section 142F.10.

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 138.912, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

Subd. 6.

Program reporting.

The nonprofit organizations that receive grant funds must
report annually to the deleted text begin Minnesota Humanities Center deleted text end new text begin Department of Health new text end with information
regarding the operation of the program, including the number of vouchers issued and the
number of people served. To the extent practicable, the nonprofit organizations must report
on the usage of the vouchers and evaluate the program's effectiveness.

Sec. 6. new text begin FRESH BUCKS PILOT PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin (a) The fresh bucks pilot program is established by the
Department of Health to help Minnesotans participating in SNAP or Summer EBT purchase
fresh produce from retailers to support a more nutritious diet.
new text end

new text begin (b) Under this program, eligible households may use EBT cards at SNAP retailers to
receive a dollar-for-dollar match on the purchase of produce up to a $20 match per day per
eligible household, with a monthly limit of $80 per eligible household. This program is
available until the appropriation is expended.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the terms in this subdivision have
the meanings given.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Department" means the Department of Health.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Eligible household" means an individual or family that is determined to be a recipient
of SNAP or Summer EBT.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Nonprofit organization" means a nonprofit organization chosen by the department
to assist with the administration of the fresh bucks pilot program.
new text end

new text begin (e) "Produce" means fresh whole or cut fruits and vegetables without added sugars, fats,
oils, or salt.
new text end

new text begin (f) "Program" means the fresh bucks pilot program.
new text end

new text begin (g) "SNAP retailer" means grocery stores, small food retailers, gas stations, and other
entities that have been selected to participate in the program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Program administration. new text end

new text begin The nonprofit organization, under the review and
guidance of the department, shall implement the program by:
new text end

new text begin (1) developing and issuing program guidelines;
new text end

new text begin (2) creating a process for selecting SNAP retailers using the criteria in subdivision 4;
new text end

new text begin (3) reviewing and accepting applications for the program;
new text end

new text begin (4) establishing monitoring and accountability mechanisms to ensure the funds from the
program are used to support the purposes of the program;
new text end

new text begin (5) establishing a system for reimbursing SNAP retailers in a timely manner, considering
any specific needs or circumstances of the SNAP retailer based on size or other factors;
new text end

new text begin (6) regularly monitoring the balance of the program funds to ensure that no SNAP retailer
reimbursements combined with any other program-related expenses exceed the amount
appropriated for the program; and
new text end

new text begin (7) establishing additional guidelines to implement the program as the nonprofit
organization deems reasonable.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin SNAP retailer selection criteria. new text end

new text begin (a) To be eligible to participate in the program,
SNAP retailers must meet the following minimum criteria:
new text end

new text begin (1) accept expenditures of benefits provided by SNAP in accordance with United States
Code, title 7, section 2011, and Summer EBT;
new text end

new text begin (2) be in good standing with SNAP and Summer EBT;
new text end

new text begin (3) demonstrate the capacity to successfully implement the program;
new text end

new text begin (4) commit to begin offering the program to eligible households no later than 90 days
from the date the retailer receives notice of approval to participate in the program;
new text end

new text begin (5) agree to comply with all data collection and reporting requirements established by
the department or other state agency;
new text end

new text begin (6) agree to cooperate with efforts to market the program; and
new text end

new text begin (7) agree to cooperate with any audit or investigation to protect against the fraudulent
use of funds under this section that is conducted by a nonprofit organization, department,
or other state agency.
new text end

new text begin (b) The department and nonprofit organization shall consider the following criteria:
new text end

new text begin (1) the geographic diversity of the participating SNAP retailer and its participating stores;
new text end

new text begin (2) a demonstrated commitment to carrying locally grown food, when possible; and
new text end

new text begin (3) any other criteria that the department or nonprofit organization determines necessary
and consistent with the purposes of this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Waiver request. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of children, youth, and families must
submit a waiver request to the United States Department of Agriculture seeking approval
for the inclusion of SNAP retailers in this program so that SNAP and Summer EBT
participants receive a discount for produce.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Report. new text end

new text begin By ......., the department, in collaboration with the nonprofit organization
and any other contracted entity, shall submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority
members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health containing the following
information:
new text end

new text begin (1) the number of retailers participating and the retailers' geographic distribution;
new text end

new text begin (2) the demographics of the areas and individuals served;
new text end

new text begin (3) the costs associated with the program; and
new text end

new text begin (4) any other information the department determines useful or relevant to understanding
the reach and effectiveness of the program.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 7. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS; HEALTHY EATING, HERE AT HOME; FRESH
BUCKS PILOT PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin (a) $500,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $500,000 in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated from
the general fund to the commissioner of health for the healthy eating, here at home program
under section 1.
new text end

new text begin (b) $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated
from the general fund to the commissioner of health for the fresh bucks pilot program
under section 6. This is a onetime appropriation and is available until January 1, 2028.
new text end

Sec. 8. new text begin TRANSFER OF PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin The healthy eating, here at home program is transferred from the Minnesota Humanities
Center to the Department of Health on July 1, 2025. The provisions of Minnesota Statutes,
section 15.039, apply to this transfer.
new text end

Sec. 9. new text begin REVISOR INSTRUCTION.
new text end

new text begin The revisor of statutes shall renumber Minnesota Statutes, section 138.912, as section
144.0554. The revisor shall make any cross-reference changes necessary resulting from the
renumbering of the healthy eating, here at home program.
new text end

Sec. 10. new text begin REPEALER.
new text end

new text begin Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 138.912, subdivision 7, new text end new text begin is repealed.
new text end

APPENDIX

Repealed Minnesota Statutes: 25-02204

138.912 HEALTHY EATING, HERE AT HOME.

Subd. 7.

Grocery inclusion.

The commissioner of children, youth, and families must submit a waiver request to the federal United States Department of Agriculture seeking approval for the inclusion of Minnesota grocery stores in this program so that SNAP participants may use the vouchers for healthy produce at grocery stores. Grocery store participation is voluntary and a grocery store's associated administrative costs will not be reimbursed.