SF 316

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 08/17/2015 02:44pm

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.

new text begin [256E.345] HEALTHY EATING, HERE AT HOME.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin The healthy eating, here at home program is
established to provide incentives for low-income Minnesotans to use Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for healthy purchases at Minnesota-based
farmers' markets.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this section.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Healthy eating, here at home" means a program administered by the
commissioner of human services to provide incentives for low-income Minnesotans to use
SNAP benefits for healthy purchases at Minnesota-based farmers' markets.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Healthy purchases" means SNAP-eligible foods.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Minnesota-based farmers' market" means a physical market located within the
borders of the state of Minnesota, including mobile farmers' markets.
new text end

new text begin (e) "Voucher" means a physical or electronic credit.
new text end

new text begin (f) "Eligible household" means an individual or family that is determined to be
eligible for SNAP.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Grants. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall allocate grant funds to nonprofit
organizations that work with Minnesota-based farmers' markets to provide 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. The commissioner must award grants based on a nonprofit's submitted
plan for voucher distribution that demonstrates how the nonprofit will achieve geographic
balance. The plan must document the organization's capacity to manage the programming
and outreach, and must document specific efforts to reach eligible households across
Minnesota.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Household eligibility; participation. new text end

new text begin 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.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Permissible uses; information provided. new text end

new text begin 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.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Program reporting. new text end

new text begin The nonprofit organizations that receive grant funds
must report annually to the commissioner of human services 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.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $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 section 1.
new text end