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OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 1482
AN ACT CONCERNING MAXIMIZING USE OF FEDERAL
SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FUNDS
AND THE RESTAURANT MEALS PROGRAM FOR THE
NUTRITIONAL NEEDS OF ELDERLY PERSONS AND OTHERS.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Department of Social Services (DSS)
commissioner to (1) develop a plan to participate in the United States
Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Restaurant Meals Program and (2)
maximize the use of federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) funds to provide nutritious meals to elderly people
living at home or in congregate housing. The bill establishes (1) an
advisory committee to assist the commissioner in developing the
Restaurant Meals Program and (2) a task force to study and make
recommendations on maximizing SNAP funds to expand nutritional
services for the elderly.
The bill also requires the attorney general, beginning October 1, 2025,
to annually report to the Commerce, Human Services, and Judiciary
committees on any (1) price discrimination investigations launched
under state law against grocery stores in any area of Connecticut,
including a food desert; (2) investigations into price discrimination
under federal law, of which he is aware; and (3) legislative
recommendations that may be necessary to protect consumers against
discrimination. Under the bill, a “food desert” is an area of the state
identified as such in the USDA’s Food Access Research Atlas.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
RESTAURANT MEALS PRO GRAM
The bill requires the DSS commissioner, in consultation with the
advisory committee established by this bill (see below), to develop a
plan to participate in the USDA’s Restaurant Meals Program to offer a 2025SB-01482-R000497-BA.DOCX
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variety of restaurant choices and healthy meal options to SNAP
recipients who are at least age 60, disabled, or homeless, or their spouses
(i.e. “eligible beneficiaries”). The Restaurant Meals Program allows
eligible beneficiaries to use their SNAP benefits to purchase meals at
participating restaurants. Under Connecticut’s current SNAP program,
benefits may be used to purchase food for consumption at home, but not
alcohol, tobacco, prepared hot foods, or non-food items.
The bill requires the commissioner to (1) report on the plan to the
Human Services Committee by November 1, 2025, and (2) by December
1, 2025, apply to the USDA for Connecticut to participate in the
Restaurant Meals Program.
Advisory Group
The bill establishes a 13-member advisory committee to assist the DSS
commissioner in developing the Restaurant Meals Program in
Connecticut. The committee must study best practices for state
implementation of the program across the country.
Membership. The committee members must include the Human
Services Committee House and Senate chairpersons or their designees;
the social services and aging and disability services commissioners, or
their designees; and a Commission on Women, Children, Seniors,
Equity, and Opportunity representative who works on nutrition issues
and is chosen by the commission’s executive director. An additional
eight members are appointed by the six legislative leaders as follows:
1. two members appointed by the House speaker, one of whom
must represent community action agencies;
2. two members appointed by the Senate president pro tempore,
one of whom must represent a nonprofit organization working
on food security issues;
3. one member appointed by the House majority leader, who
represents a nonprofit organization working on homelessness;
4. one member appointed by the Senate majority leader, who 2025SB-01482-R000497-BA.DOCX
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represents a nonprofit organization working on minority
populations’ health outcomes;
5. one member appointed by the House minority leader, who
represents a restaurant that has participated in, or is interested in
participating in, the Restaurant Meals Program; and
6. one member appointed by the Senate minority leader, who
represents a nonprofit organization working on issues
concerning aging people.
Appointing authorities must make their initial appointments within
30 days after the bill’s passage and fill any vacancies. Appointed
members may be legislators.
Leadership and Meetings. The bill requires the House speaker and
Senate president pro tempore to select the advisory committee’s
chairpersons from among its members, who must schedule and hold the
committee’s first meeting within 60 days after the bill’s passage. The bill
requires the Human Services Committee’s administrative staff to serve
in this capacity for the advisory committee.
Reporting Requirements. The committee must submit interim
recommendations for developing the program in Connecticut to the DSS
commissioner by October 1, 2025. Starting by January 1, 2026, the
advisory committee must report its findings and recommendations to
the DSS commissioner and Aging and Human Services committees
annually until the program is established. The advisory committee’s
recommendations must include any legislation necessary to establish
the program.
MAXIMIZING SNAP FUND S FOR ELDERLY NUTRITION
The bill requires the DSS commissioner, in consultation with the
aging and disability services commissioner, area agencies on aging
(AAA; see BACKGROUND), and the task force the bill establishes (see
below), to maximize the use of federal SNAP funds to give nutritious
meals to elderly people living at home or in congregate housing,
including by establishing the Restaurant Meals Program. 2025SB-01482-R000497-BA.DOCX
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Starting by December 31, 2025, the DSS commissioner must report
twice annually to the Aging and Human Services committees on the
following:
1. SNAP funding used for these meals,
2. any federal law impediments to using SNAP funds for these
meals, and
3. any state appropriations needed to ensure the program serves all
SNAP-eligible people.
Task Force
The bill establishes a 12-member task force to study and make
recommendations on maximizing the use of SNAP funds to expand
nutritional services for elderly people, including establishing a
Restaurant Meals Program.
Study. Under the bill, the task force study must include a review of
the following:
1. the Department of Aging and Disability Services’s elderly
nutrition program (see BACKGROUND) and ways to use SNAP
funds to expand it,
2. the costs of preparing and delivering meals under the elderly
nutrition program,
3. a comparison of the number of elderly nutrition program
participants and the number of people in need of nutritional
services,
4. the adequacy of state funding for the elderly nutrition program,
and
5. the process for contracting with elderly nutrition services
providers.
Membership. The task force membership must include the Human 2025SB-01482-R000497-BA.DOCX
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Services Committee House and Senate chairpersons and the aging and
disability services and social services commissioners, or their designees.
An additional eight members must be appointed by the six legislative
leaders as follows:
1. two AAA representatives, one each from the eastern AAA and
the north central AAA appointed by the House speaker;
2. two AAA representatives, one each from the south central AAA
and the southwestern AAA, appointed by the Senate president
pro tempore;
3. one western AAA representative appointed by the House
majority leader;
4. an elderly nutrition provider representing a community action
agency appointed by the Senate majority leader;
5. an elderly nutrition provider representative appointed by the
House minority leader; and
6. a senior citizen receiving meals through the elderly nutrition
program appointed by the Senate minority leader.
The appointing authorities must make their initial appointments
within 30 days after the bill’s passage and fill any vacancies. Appointed
members may be legislators.
Leadership and Meetings. The bill requires the House speaker and
Senate president pro tempore to select the task force’s chairpersons from
among its members, who must schedule the task force’s first meeting by
September 1, 2025. Under the bill, the Human Services Committee’s
administrative staff must serve in this capacity for the task force.
Reporting Requirements. The bill requires the task force to report
its findings and recommendations to the Aging and Human Services
committees by January 15, 2026. The task force terminates on this date
or when it submits its report, whichever is later. 2025SB-01482-R000497-BA.DOCX
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BACKGROUND
Area Agencies on Aging
AAAs are private, nonprofit planning and service agencies that
receive state and federal funds to carry out the Older Americans Act’s
requirements. Generally, they plan, coordinate, evaluate, and act as
brokers for older adult services. They award funds to local agencies,
which in turn provide meals and related social services at local sites.
Elderly Nutrition Program
Under federal law, the Department of Aging and Disability Services
oversees 11 elderly nutrition providers that offer nutritionally sound
meals to people age 60 or older and their spouses. Programs must
provide one meal per day, five days per week. These meals are either
offered at congregate sites, known as “senior community cafes,” or
delivered to the homes of people too frail to travel to the congregate
locations or cook for themselves. People with disabilities living in
housing facilities that are congregate meal sites may also receive meals.
Meals are free, although contributions are encouraged. Both federal and
state funds are used to pay the program costs.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Human Services Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 16 Nay 6 (03/18/2025)