1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; establishing a COVID-19 food relief grant program; 
1.3 	appropriating money.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. COVID-19 FOOD RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM; APPROPRIATION.
 1.6 		Subdivision 1.Appropriation. (a) $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated from 
1.7 	the general fund to the commissioner of human services for purposes of the COVID-19 
1.8 	food relief grant program to provide economic support to Minnesota-owned and operated 
1.9 	restaurants, catering companies, and food establishments that employ the equivalent of 50 
1.10 	or fewer full-time employees while also providing hunger relief to Minnesotans impacted 
1.11 	by COVID-19, including people experiencing food insecurity.
1.12 	(b) The commissioner may use up to $1,000,000 of this appropriation to administer this 
1.13 	grant.
1.14 	(c) Notwithstanding any other law or rule to the contrary, the commissioner may allocate 
1.15 	funds to: (1) nonprofit community organizations to provide technical assistance to grantees 
1.16 	to purchase prepared meals from restaurants, catering companies, and food establishments 
1.17 	to provide prepared meals under this section; and (2) programs, providers, and organizations 
1.18 	providing or seeking to provide meals through a single fiscal agent chosen by the 
1.19 	commissioner.
1.20 	(d) This is a onetime appropriation.
1.21 		Subd. 2.Eligible grantees. Eligible grantees are nonprofit community organizations 
1.22 	that can demonstrate a need for prepared meals and an ability to provide prepared meals 
2.1 	for Minnesotans impacted by COVID-19, including those experiencing food insecurity. 
2.2 	Notwithstanding any other law or rule to the contrary, a nonprofit community organization 
2.3 	providing technical assistance is also an eligible grantee under this section.
2.4 		Subd. 3.Allowable uses of funds. Eligible grantees as defined in subdivision 2 who are 
2.5 	awarded a grant must use grant funds to provide meals from a restaurant, catering company, 
2.6 	or food establishment as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 157.16, subdivision 3, 
2.7 	paragraph (d), clauses (2) and (3), to Minnesotans who are impacted by COVID-19, including 
2.8 	individuals experiencing food insecurity.
2.9 		Subd. 4.Grant request. (a) The commissioner shall develop an expedited grant request 
2.10 	process that includes a form that applicants shall submit to meet any requirements established 
2.11 	by the commissioner in as timely a manner as possible. The commissioner shall allow the 
2.12 	use of electronic submission of request forms and accept electronic signatures.
2.13 	(b) To receive a grant under this section, eligible applicants must submit a grant request 
2.14 	on forms and according to timelines established by the commissioner.
2.15 		Subd. 5.Commissioner's duties; grants. (a) The commissioner shall develop a process 
2.16 	for determining which nonprofit community organizations have the ability to meet the need 
2.17 	and may participate in the grant program under this section.
2.18 	(b) In issuing COVID-19 food relief grants and administering the grant program, the 
2.19 	commissioner is exempt from the following statutes and related policies: Minnesota Statutes, 
2.20 	sections 16A.15, subdivision 3; 16B.97; 16B.98, subdivisions 5 and 7; and 16B.98, 
2.21 	subdivision 8, the express audit clause requirement.
2.22 	(c) The commissioner shall ensure that grant funds are prioritized for nonprofit 
2.23 	community organizations contracting with restaurants and catering companies to provide 
2.24 	meals.
2.25 	(d) The commissioner shall consider the geographic distribution of grant recipients when 
2.26 	awarding grants.
2.27 	(e) Grant funds may supplement, but not supplant, any other funding used to provide 
2.28 	prepared meals to Minnesotans experiencing food insecurity.
2.29 	(f) The commissioner shall begin issuing COVID-19 food relief grants to eligible grantees 
2.30 	no later than January 15, 2021.
2.31 	(g) The commissioner's determination of the grant amount under this subdivision is final 
2.32 	and is not subject to appeal.
3.1 		Subd. 6.Nonstate funds. If a grant recipient receives funds from a nonstate source other 
3.2 	than a local unit of government or a tribe for activities listed in subdivision 3, the grant 
3.3 	recipient must notify the commissioner of the amount received from the nonstate source. 
3.4 	If the commissioner determines that the total amount that the grant recipient received under 
3.5 	this section and from the nonstate source exceeds the grant recipient's costs for the activities 
3.6 	under subdivision 3, the grant recipient must pay the commissioner the amount that exceeds 
3.7 	the costs, up to the amount of funding provided under this section. All money paid by grant 
3.8 	recipients to the commissioner under this section must be deposited in the general fund.
3.9 		Subd. 7.Expiration. This section expires March 31, 2021.

3.10 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.