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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1711H.P. 1146House of Representatives, April 17, 2025
Resolve, to Allow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Benefits to Be Used to Purchase Ready-to-cook Meals
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative LANIGAN of Sanford.
Cosponsored by Representative: COLLAMORE of Pittsfield, Senator: HARRINGTON of
York. Page 1 - 132LR1961(01)1
2 That the Department of Health and Human Services shall request a waiver from the United
3 States Department of Agriculture to permit the State to allow the use of benefits under the
4 federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for the purchase of ready-to-cook
5 meals. The department shall request the waiver no later than January 1, 2026.
6 That, within 60 days of the granting of
7 the waiver by the United States Department of Agriculture pursuant to section 1, the
8 Department of Health and Human Services shall amend its rules to allow the use of benefits
9 under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for the purchase of ready-to-
10 cook meals. The department shall notify retailers in the State and other providers of
11 ready-to-cook meals participating in the statewide Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
12 Program pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 3104 of the rule change.
13 Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5,
14 chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
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16 This resolve requires the Department of Health and Human Services to request a waiver
17 from the United States Department of Agriculture to allow the State to allow the use of
18 federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for the purchase of
19 ready-to-cook meals. The Department of Health and Human Services is directed to notify
20 retailers and other providers of ready-to-cook meals of the rule change.
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