HF 4820

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 03/13/2024 12:53pm

A bill for an act
relating to health; transferring the Healthy Eating, Here at Home Program from
the Minnesota Humanities Center to the Department of Health; establishing the
fresh bucks pilot program; requiring a report; appropriating money; proposing
coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 144.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [144.0532] 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 to help
Minnesotans participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
purchase fresh produce from retailers to support a more nutritious diet.
new text end

new text begin (b) Eligible households shall be able to use the household EBT card at 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, until program funds are
depleted.
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 households" means Minnesota households that meet Minnesota SNAP
eligibility requirements under section 256D.60.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Nonprofit organization" means a nonprofit organization chosen by the Department
of Health to assist with the administration of the program.
new text end

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

new text begin (f) "Program" means the Fresh Bucks pilot program.
new text end

new text begin (g) "Retailer" includes but is not limited to grocery stores, small-food retailers, and gas
stations 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 (a) A nonprofit organization, under the review and
guidance of the Department of Health, shall implement the program as follows:
new text end

new text begin (1) develop and issue program guidelines, create a process for selecting retailers using
the criteria identified in subdivision 4, and begin accepting applications for the program by
September 1, 2024;
new text end

new text begin (2) establish monitoring and accountability mechanisms to ensure that funds from the
program are used to support the purposes of the program;
new text end

new text begin (3) establish a reimbursement system for retailers in a timely manner, considering any
specific needs or circumstances of the retailer based on size or other factors;
new text end

new text begin (4) regularly monitor the balance of program funds to ensure that in no instance shall
retailer reimbursements, combined with other program-related expenses, exceed $1,000,000;
and
new text end

new text begin (5) develop additional guidelines to implement the program as the commissioner deems
reasonable.
new text end

new text begin (b) Either the department or the nonprofit organization may enter into contractual
agreements with retailers, or any other entities, to perform the activities specified in this
section.
new text end

new text begin (c) The program shall end when the appropriated funds have been depleted, unless
additional funds are appropriated to continue the program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Retailer selection criteria. new text end

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

new text begin (1) accept expenditures of benefits provided by SNAP in accordance with the Food
Stamp Act, United States Code, title 7, chapter 51, section 2011, et seq. and be in good
standing with SNAP;
new text end

new text begin (2) demonstrate the capacity to successfully implement the program;
new text end

new text begin (3) agree to begin offering the program to eligible households no later than 90 days from
the date the retailer received notice of approval to participate in the program;
new text end

new text begin (4) agree to comply with all data collection and reporting requirements established by
the department or the nonprofit organization;
new text end

new text begin (5) agree to cooperate with efforts to market the program; and
new text end

new text begin (6) agree to cooperate with any audit or investigation by the nonprofit organization,
Department of Health, or any state agency implemented to protect against the fraudulent
use of funds under this section.
new text end

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

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

new text begin (2) any other criteria that the Department of Health or the nonprofit organization
determines to be 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 human services must submit a waiver
request to the United States Department of Agriculture seeking approval for the inclusion
of retailers in this program so SNAP participants may receive a discount for produce.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Legislative report. new text end

new text begin By ......., the department, in cooperation with the nonprofit
organization in subdivision 3 and any other entity with which they contract, shall submit a
report to the chairs and ranking members of the committees with jurisdiction over health
on:
new text end

new text begin (1) the number of retailers participating and their 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 of the program; and
new text end

new text begin (4) any other information the department determines to be helpful 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. 2. new text begin TRANSFER; HEALTHY EATING, HERE AT HOME PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin $500,000 appropriated in fiscal year 2025 under Laws 2023, chapter 62, article 1, section
26, is transferred from the Minnesota Humanities Center to the Department of Health for
the Healthy Eating, Here at Home Program. Any other funds remaining in an account for
the Healthy Eating, Here at Home Program must transfer to the Department of Health for
the purposes of the program.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin APPROPRIATION; FRESH BUCKS PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2025 is appropriated for the Fresh Bucks pilot program under
Minnesota Statutes, section 144.0532. No more than four percent of the appropriation may
be used for the nonprofit administration of the program. This is a onetime appropriation
and is available until .......
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. 4. new text begin REVISOR INSTRUCTION.
new text end

new text begin The revisor of statutes shall renumber section 138.912 as 144.0531 and shall delete
"Humanities Center" and insert "Department of Health" where "Humanities Center" occurs
in section 138.912, subdivisions 2, 3, and 6.
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