| 1 | 1 | | 1.1 A bill for an act |
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| 2 | 2 | | 1.2 relating to food support; establishing the Minnesota SNAP step up for seniors |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1.3 program; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota |
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| 4 | 4 | | 1.4 Statutes, chapter 142F. |
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| 5 | 5 | | 1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: |
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| 6 | 6 | | 1.6 Section 1. [142F.121] MINNESOTA SNAP STEP UP FOR SENIORS PROGRAM. |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1.7 Subdivision 1.Program established.The commissioner of children, youth, and families |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1.8shall establish the Minnesota SNAP step up for seniors program to supplement the minimum |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1.9monthly benefit amount for eligible seniors who receive federal Supplemental Nutrition |
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| 10 | 10 | | 1.10Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. |
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| 11 | 11 | | 1.11 Subd. 2.Definitions.(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the |
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| 12 | 12 | | 1.12meanings given. |
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| 13 | 13 | | 1.13 (b) "Eligible senior" means an individual age 55 or older. |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1.14 (c) "Minimum monthly benefit amount" means $50. |
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| 15 | 15 | | 1.15 Subd. 3.Supplemental benefit.Under this program, if a household includes an eligible |
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| 16 | 16 | | 1.16senior and receives a federally funded SNAP benefit of less than the minimum monthly |
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| 17 | 17 | | 1.17benefit amount, the state shall provide a supplement to increase the total benefit to at least |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1.18the minimum monthly benefit amount. Households with an eligible senior must receive the |
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| 19 | 19 | | 1.19supplemental benefit under this section in addition to the federal SNAP benefit. |
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| 20 | 20 | | 1.20 Subd. 4.Prohibition on counting supplemental benefit as income.The benefit amount |
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| 21 | 21 | | 1.21received by an eligible senior or household under this section is not counted as income for |
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| 22 | 22 | | 1.22any program that does not count SNAP benefits as income. |
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| 23 | 23 | | 1Section 1. |
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| 24 | 24 | | 25-01648 as introduced12/24/24 REVISOR DTT/BM |
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| 25 | 25 | | SENATE |
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| 26 | 26 | | STATE OF MINNESOTA |
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| 27 | 27 | | S.F. No. 1110NINETY-FOURTH SESSION |
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| 28 | 28 | | (SENATE AUTHORS: MANN, Housley and Abeler) |
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| 29 | 29 | | OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE |
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| 30 | 30 | | Introduction and first reading02/06/2025 |
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| 31 | 31 | | Referred to Health and Human Services 2.1 Subd. 5.Program administration.(a) The program under this section is subject to the |
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| 32 | 32 | | 2.2same federal and state regulations, rules, and procedures for implementing the federal SNAP |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2.3as much as possible, including but not limited to distributing the program benefit amount |
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| 34 | 34 | | 2.4through the SNAP electronic benefit transfer system. |
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| 35 | 35 | | 2.5 (b) The commissioner may increase the minimum monthly benefit amount established |
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| 36 | 36 | | 2.6in this section as deemed appropriate and subject to state appropriations and federal funding. |
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| 37 | 37 | | 2.7 (c) If federal funds become available for the purpose of this section, the commissioner |
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| 38 | 38 | | 2.8shall utilize the federal funds as the primary source for issuing the monthly supplemental |
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| 39 | 39 | | 2.9benefit before any state funds are used. |
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| 40 | 40 | | 2.10 Sec. 2. FEDERAL WAIVER OR APPROVAL; MINNESOTA SNAP STEP UP FOR |
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| 41 | 41 | | 2.11SENIORS PROGRAM. |
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| 42 | 42 | | 2.12 The commissioner of human services shall apply to the United States Department of |
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| 43 | 43 | | 2.13Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service for any necessary waivers or approvals to implement |
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| 44 | 44 | | 2.14the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, section 142F.121. |
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| 45 | 45 | | 2.15 Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION; MINNESOTA SNAP STEP UP FOR SENIORS |
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| 46 | 46 | | 2.16PROGRAM. |
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| 47 | 47 | | 2.17 $....... in fiscal year 2026 and $....... in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated from the general |
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| 48 | 48 | | 2.18fund to the commissioner of children, youth, and families for the Minnesota SNAP step up |
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| 49 | 49 | | 2.19for seniors program under Minnesota Statutes, section 142F.121. |
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| 50 | 50 | | 2Sec. 3. |
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| 51 | 51 | | 25-01648 as introduced12/24/24 REVISOR DTT/BM |
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