HF 352

1st Engrossment - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 02/23/2015 03:41pm

A bill for an act
relating to human services; establishing the healthy eating, here at home
program; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 256E.

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

Section 1.

[256E.345] HEALTHY EATING, HERE AT HOME.

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) benefits for healthy purchases at Minnesota-based
farmers' markets.

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
commissioner to provide incentives for low-income Minnesotans to use SNAP 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.

(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.

Subd. 3.

Grants.

The commissioner shall allocate grant funds to nonprofit
organizations that work with Minnesota-based farmers' markets to provide up to $10
vouchers to SNAP 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 commissioner 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.

Subd. 4.

Household eligibility; participation.

To be eligible for a healthy eating,
here at home voucher, an eligible household must meet the Minnesota SNAP eligibility
requirements under section 256D.051.

Subd. 5.

Permissible uses; information provided.

An eligible household may use
the voucher toward healthy purchases at Minnesota-based farmers' markets. Every eligible
household that receives a voucher must be informed of the allowable uses of the voucher.

Subd. 6.

Program reporting.

The nonprofit organizations that receive grant funds
must report annually to the commissioner 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.

Subd. 7.

Grocery inclusion.

The commissioner 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.

Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.

$1,000,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2017 are appropriated
from the general fund to the commissioner of human services for the healthy eating, here
at home program under Minnesota Statutes, section 256E.345. No more than three percent
of the appropriation may be used for the nonprofit administration of the grant program
under Minnesota Statutes, section 256E.345.