Connecticut 2025 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB01482 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
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2	2
3		-	LCO 1 of 7
	3	+	LCO No. 5662 1 of 2
4	4
5		-	General Assembly ~~Substitute~~ Bill No. 1482
	5	+	General Assembly Raised Bill No. 1482
6	6		January Session, 2025
	7	+	LCO No. 5662
	8	+
	9	+
	10	+	Referred to Committee on HUMAN SERVICES
	11	+
	12	+
	13	+	Introduced by:
	14	+	(HS)
7	15
8	16
9	17
10	18
11		-
12		-	AN ACT CONCERNING MAXIMIZING USE OF FEDERAL
13		-	SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FUNDS AND
14		-	THE RESTAURANT MEALS PROGRAM FOR THE NUTRITIONAL
15		-	NEEDS OF ELDERLY PERSONS AND OTHERS.
	19	+	AN ACT CONCERNING AN ELDERLY NUTRITION PROGRAM.
16	20		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
17	21		Assembly convened:
18	22
19		-	Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) As used in this section and 1
20		-	sections 2 to 4, inclusive, of this act: (1) "Restaurant Meals Program" 2
21		-	means a United States Department of Agriculture program that allows 3
22		-	an eligible supplemental nutrition assistance program beneficiary to 4
23		-	purchase meals at participating restaurants with their benefits, and (2) 5
24		-	"eligible beneficiary" means a supplemental nutrition assistance 6
25		-	program beneficiary who is sixty years of age or older, disabled, 7
26		-	homeless or the spouse of an eligible supplemental nutrition assistance 8
27		-	program beneficiary. 9
28		-	(b) The Commissioner of Social Services, in consultation with the 10
29		-	advisory committee established pursuant to section 2 of this act, shall 11
30		-	develop a plan to participate in the Restaurant Meals Program that 12
31		-	offers a variety of restaurant choices and healthy meal options for an 13
32		-	eligible beneficiary throughout the state. Not later than November 1, 14
33		-	2025, the commissioner shall file a report, in accordance with the 15
34		-	provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, on the plan with the 16
35		-	joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of 17 Substitute Bill No. 1482
	23	+	Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) The Commissioner of 1
	24	+	Social Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of Aging and 2
	25	+	Disability Services and area agencies on aging, as described in section 3
	26	+	17a-850 of the general statutes, shall maximize the use of federal 4
	27	+	supplemental nutrition assistance program funds to provide nutritious 5
	28	+	meals to elderly persons living at home or in congregate housing. 6
	29	+	(b) Not later than December 31, 2025, and twice annually thereafter, 7
	30	+	the Commissioner of Social Services shall file a report, in accordance 8
	31	+	with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, with the joint 9
	32	+	standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of 10
	33	+	matters relating to human services on (1) funding under the 11
	34	+	supplemental nutrition assistance program used for such meals, (2) any 12
	35	+	impediments under federal law to using such funding for such meals, 13
	36	+	and (3) any state appropriations necessary to ensure the program serves 14
	37	+	all persons who are eligible for supplemental nutritional assistance. 15
	38	+	Raised Bill No. 1482
36	39
37	40
38		-	LCO 2 of 7
39	41
40		-	matters relating to human services. The commissioner shall submit a 18
41		-	formal application for state participation in the Restaurant Meals 19
42		-	Program with the United States Department of Agriculture not later 20
43		-	than December 1, 2025. 21
44		-	Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) There is established an 22
45		-	advisory committee to assist the Commissioner of Social Services in 23
46		-	developing a Restaurant Meals Program pursuant to section 1 of this act. 24
47		-	(b) The committee shall consist of the following members: 25
48		-	(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, 26
49		-	one of whom is a representative of community action agencies; 27
50		-	(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of 28
51		-	whom is a representative of a nonprofit organization working on food 29
52		-	security issues; 30
53		-	(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of 31
54		-	Representatives, who is a representative of a nonprofit organization 32
55		-	working on issues concerning homeless persons; 33
56		-	(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who is a 34
57		-	representative of a nonprofit organization working on issues related to 35
58		-	health outcomes among minority populations; 36
59		-	(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of 37
60		-	Representatives, who is a representative of a restaurant that has 38
61		-	participated in or is interested in participating in the Restaurant Meals 39
62		-	Program; 40
63		-	(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who is a 41
64		-	representative of a nonprofit organization working on issues relating to 42
65		-	aging persons; 43
66		-	(7) The House and Senate chairpersons of the joint standing 44
67		-	committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 45
68		-	relating to human services, or their designees; 46 Substitute Bill No. 1482
	42	+	LCO No. 5662 2 of 2
69	43
70		-
71		-	LCO 3 of 7
72		-
73		-	(8) The Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's 47
74		-	designee; 48
75		-	(9) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services, or the 49
76		-	commissioner's designee; and 50
77		-	(10) A representative of the Commission on Women, Children, 51
78		-	Seniors, Equity and Opportunity, who works on issues concerning 52
79		-	nutrition, chosen by the executive director of the commission. 53
80		-	(c) Any member of the advisory committee appointed under 54
81		-	subdivision (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6) or (7) of subsection (b) of this section 55
82		-	may be a member of the General Assembly. 56
83		-	(d) All initial appointments to the advisory committee shall be made 57
84		-	not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any 58
85		-	vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. 59
86		-	(e) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro 60
87		-	tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the advisory 61
88		-	committee from among the members of the advisory committee. Such 62
89		-	chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the advisory committee, 63
90		-	which shall be held not later than sixty days after the effective date of 64
91		-	this section. 65
92		-	(f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the 66
93		-	General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human 67
94		-	services shall serve as administrative staff of the advisory committee. 68
95		-	(g) The advisory committee shall study best practices nation-wide for 69
96		-	state implementation of the Restaurant Meals Program and submit 70
97		-	interim recommendations concerning the development of a Restaurant 71
98		-	Meals Program to the Commissioner of Social Services not later than 72
99		-	October 1, 2025. Not later than January 1, 2026, and annually thereafter 73
100		-	until a Restaurant Meals Program is established in the state, the advisory 74
101		-	committee shall submit a report on its findings and recommendations 75
102		-	to the Commissioner of Social Services and the joint standing 76 Substitute Bill No. 1482
103		-
104		-
105		-	LCO 4 of 7
106		-
107		-	committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 77
108		-	relating to aging and human services, in accordance with the provisions 78
109		-	of section 11-4a of the general statutes. The report shall include 79
110		-	recommendations on any legislation necessary to establish a Restaurant 80
111		-	Meals Program in the state. 81
112		-	Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) The Commissioner of Social 82
113		-	Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of Aging and Disability 83
114		-	Services and area agencies on aging, as described in section 17a-850 of 84
115		-	the general statutes, and the task force established pursuant to section 4 85
116		-	of this act, shall maximize the use of federal supplemental nutrition 86
117		-	assistance program funds to provide nutritious meals to elderly persons 87
118		-	living at home or in congregate housing, including, but not limited to, 88
119		-	through establishment of the Restaurant Meals Program pursuant to 89
120		-	section 1 of this act. 90
121		-	(b) Not later than December 31, 2025, and twice annually thereafter, 91
122		-	the Commissioner of Social Services shall file a report, in accordance 92
123		-	with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, with the joint 93
124		-	standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of 94
125		-	matters relating to aging and human services on (1) funding under the 95
126		-	supplemental nutrition assistance program used for such meals, (2) any 96
127		-	impediments under federal law to using such funding for such meals, 97
128		-	and (3) any state appropriations necessary to ensure the program serves 98
129		-	all persons who are eligible for supplemental nutritional assistance. 99
130		-	Sec. 4. (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a task force to 100
131		-	study and make recommendations concerning maximizing use of 101
132		-	supplemental nutrition assistance program funds to expand nutritional 102
133		-	services for elderly persons, including, but not limited to, establishing a 103
134		-	Restaurant Meals Program pursuant to section 1 of this act. Such study 104
135		-	shall include, but need not be limited to, a review of the (1) elderly 105
136		-	nutrition program administered by the Department of Aging and 106
137		-	Disability Services, (2) ways to utilize supplemental nutrition assistance 107
138		-	program funds to expand the elderly nutrition program, (3) costs of the 108
139		-	meal preparation and delivery under the elderly nutrition program, (4) 109 Substitute Bill No. 1482
140		-
141		-
142		-	LCO 5 of 7
143		-
144		-	number of participants in the elderly nutrition program compared to the 110
145		-	estimated number of persons in need of nutritional services, (5) 111
146		-	adequacy of state funding levels for the elderly nutrition program, and 112
147		-	(6) process for contracting with providers of elderly nutrition services. 113
148		-	(b) The task force shall consist of the following members: 114
149		-	(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, 115
150		-	one of whom shall be a representative of the eastern area agency on 116
151		-	aging and one of whom shall be a representative of the north central 117
152		-	area agency on aging; 118
153		-	(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of 119
154		-	whom shall be a representative of the south central area agency on aging 120
155		-	and one of whom shall be a representative of the southwestern area 121
156		-	agency on aging; 122
157		-	(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of 123
158		-	Representatives, who shall be a representative of the western area 124
159		-	agency on aging; 125
160		-	(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who shall be 126
161		-	a representative of an elderly nutrition provider who represents a 127
162		-	community action agency; 128
163		-	(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of 129
164		-	Representatives, who shall be a representative of an elderly nutrition 130
165		-	provider; 131
166		-	(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who shall be 132
167		-	a senior citizen who receives meals through the elderly nutrition 133
168		-	program; 134
169		-	(7) The House and Senate chairpersons of the joint standing 135
170		-	committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 136
171		-	relating to human services, or their designees; 137
172		-	(8) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services, or the 138 Substitute Bill No. 1482
173		-
174		-
175		-	LCO 6 of 7
176		-
177		-	commissioner's designee; and 139
178		-	(9) The Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's 140
179		-	designee. 141
180		-	(c) Any member of the task force appointed under subdivision (1), 142
181		-	(2), (3), (4), (5), (6) or (7) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member 143
182		-	of the General Assembly. 144
183		-	(d) All initial appointments to the task force shall be made not later 145
184		-	than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall 146
185		-	be filled by the appointing authority. 147
186		-	(e) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro 148
187		-	tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the task force from 149
188		-	among the members of the task force. Such chairpersons shall schedule 150
189		-	the first meeting of the task force not later than September 1, 2025. 151
190		-	(f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the 152
191		-	General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human 153
192		-	services shall serve as administrative staff of the task force. 154
193		-	(g) Not later than January 15, 2026, the task force shall submit a report 155
194		-	on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing committees 156
195		-	of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to aging 157
196		-	and human services, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a 158
197		-	of the general statutes. The task force shall terminate on the date that it 159
198		-	submits such report or January 15, 2026, whichever is later. 160
199		-	Sec. 5. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) As used in this section "food 161
200		-	desert" means an area of the state identified as a food desert in the Food 162
201		-	Access Research Atlas produced by the United States Department of 163
202		-	Agriculture's Economic Research Service. 164
203		-	(b) Not later than October 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, the 165
204		-	Attorney General shall file a report, in accordance with the provisions 166
205		-	of section 11-4a of the general statutes, with the joint standing 167
206		-	committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 168 Substitute Bill No. 1482
207		-
208		-
209		-	LCO 7 of 7
210		-
211		-	relating to commerce, human services and the judiciary on (1) any price 169
212		-	discrimination investigation launched by the Attorney General against 170
213		-	a grocery store under state law in any area of the state, including, but 171
214		-	not limited to, a food desert, and (2) information on any investigations 172
215		-	under federal law into said price discrimination that the Attorney 173
216		-	General is aware of and recommendations on legislation that may be 174
217		-	needed to protect consumers against said discrimination. 175
218	44		This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
219	45		sections:
220	46
221	47		Section 1 from passage New section
222		-	Sec. 2 from passage New section
223		-	Sec. 3 from passage New section
224		-	Sec. 4 from passage New section
225		-	Sec. 5 from passage New section
226	48
227		-	Statement of ~~Legislative Commissioners~~:
228		-	~~The title was changed,~~ ~~and in Section 5(a), "area~~ ~~identified" was changed~~
229		-	~~to "area of the state identified"~~ for ~~clarity and consistency~~.
	49	+	Statement of Purpose:
	50	+	To maximize use of federal supplemental nutrition assistance program
	51	+	funds for nutritious meals for elderly persons.
230	52
231		-	HS Joint Favorable Subst.
	53	+	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
	54	+	that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
	55	+	underlined.]
232	56