SF 3968

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 02/20/2024 09:26am

A bill for an act
relating to human services; establishing the SNAP as medicine program;
appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter
256D.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [256D.59] SNAP AS MEDICINE PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Purpose; establishment. new text end

new text begin The SNAP as medicine program is established
to:
new text end

new text begin (1) acknowledge the crisis created by a statewide labor shortage of mental health and
other health care practitioners and the multiple unmet needs of Minnesota's homeless adults;
new text end

new text begin (2) acknowledge that access to healthy food improves health outcomes; and
new text end

new text begin (3) serve adults who are at significant risk of hunger due to federal SNAP time limits.
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 following terms have the
meanings given unless otherwise indicated.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of human services.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Department" means the Department of Human Services.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Internet telepresence" means a system of real-time, two-way audio-video
communication over the Internet.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Eligibility. new text end

new text begin To be eligible for the SNAP as medicine program, a participant
must:
new text end

new text begin (1) be between the ages of 18 and 54;
new text end

new text begin (2) be enrolled in medical assistance under chapter 256B or MinnesotaCare under chapter
256L;
new text end

new text begin (3) not meet the requirements under Code of Federal Regulations, title 7, section
273.24(a)(1); and
new text end

new text begin (4) meet all other initial and ongoing eligibility requirements for the federal Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Food benefits assessment. new text end

new text begin (a) The county agency or Tribe must attempt to
meet face-to-face or via Internet telepresence with the SNAP as medicine participant within
30 days. If a participant is already assigned to a county or Tribal case manager or a designated
case manager in social services, disability services, or housing services, that case manager
may work with the participant for the purposes of a SNAP as medicine assessment. During
the face-to-face or Internet telepresence meeting, the county agency or Tribe shall:
new text end

new text begin (1) determine whether the participant's loss of federal SNAP benefits may be explained
by illness, injury, addiction, disability, or homelessness;
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new text begin (2) determine whether the participant is eligible for an exemption under Code of Federal
Regulations, title 7, section 273.24;
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new text begin (3) assist the participant in obtaining a current assessment by a behavioral health or
medical professional to identify any barriers that would impede the participant's ability to
consistently comply with the requirements of Code of Federal Regulations, title 7, section
273.24; and
new text end

new text begin (4) identify available resources that may assist a participant who is attempting to meet
the requirements of Code of Federal Regulations, title 7, section 273.24.
new text end

new text begin (b) If a face-to-face or Internet telepresence meeting is not conducted, the county agency
or Tribe shall send the participant a written notice describing the purposes of the SNAP as
medicine program.
new text end

new text begin (c) If a caseworker determines the participant may meet a federal exemption, then a
referral to the appropriate provider to determine the exemption must be made. While the
participant is waiting to be assessed by the provider, the participant must be immediately
placed in the SNAP as medicine program to prevent any gap in access to food resources.
new text end

new text begin (d) If, based on the assessment, the county agency or Tribe determines the participant
is eligible for a federal exemption under Code of Federal Regulations, title 7, section 273.24,
the participant must exit the SNAP as medicine program and convert to the federal
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
new text end

new text begin (e) If the county agency or Tribe determines the participant is able to consistently meet
the federal requirements in Code of Federal Regulations, title 7, section 273.24, the
participant must exit the SNAP as medicine program and convert to the federal Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Health care enrollment. new text end

new text begin Eligibility for the program under this section requires
ongoing enrollment in either medical assistance or MinnesotaCare.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Benefits issuance and monthly amount. new text end

new text begin (a) During the period of the emergency
moratorium, the commissioner is authorized to issue benefits under this section under the
P-EBT emergency issuance processes established during the COVID-19 public health
emergency.
new text end

new text begin (b) Each participant in the program under this section shall receive a monthly benefit
equal to $175.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Sustainable solutions to food insecurity for single adults. new text end

new text begin The commissioner,
in collaboration with the commissioner of health, advocates, and community members, must
develop recommendations for possible federal waivers and state measures to address food
insecurity among adults in Minnesota including, but not limited to, pursuing a SNAP as
medicine waiver under a federal 1115 Medicaid demonstration.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin SNAP AS MEDICINE PROGRAM; EVALUATION.
new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of health must:
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new text begin (1) study the impact of the SNAP as medicine program and make recommendations to
ensure availability of adequate, affordable, accessible, and culturally responsive food as a
social determinant of health; and
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new text begin (2) submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative
committees with jurisdiction over food support and health by January 1, 2027.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner of human services may share with the commissioner of health,
according to Minnesota Statutes, section 13.05, subdivision 9, any not public data, as defined
in Minnesota Statutes, section 13.02, subdivision 8a, held by the commissioner of human
services needed by the commissioner of health to conduct the evaluation. The commissioner
of health must maintain this data with the same classification according to Minnesota
Statutes, section 13.03, subdivision 4, paragraph (d).
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin MORATORIUM ON CASE CLOSURES.
new text end

new text begin Beginning January 1, 2024, through January 1, 2026, the commissioner administering
the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program shall enact an emergency moratorium on
the termination of food assistance for adults enrolled in medical assistance or MinnesotaCare
where there is no current medical or behavioral health assessment indicating a participant's
ability to consistently comply with the federal requirements in Code of Federal Regulations,
title 7, section 273.24.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin APPROPRIATION; SNAP AS MEDICINE PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin (a) $....... in fiscal year 2025 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of human services for the SNAP as medicine program under Minnesota Statutes, section
256D.59.
new text end

new text begin (b) $....... in fiscal year 2025 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of health for the SNAP as medicine program evaluation. This is a onetime appropriation
and is available until December 31, 2026.
new text end