SF 461

1st Engrossment - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to human services; modifying food support requirements; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 256J.77; proposing coding for new law in
Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256D.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [256D.0516] AGING OF FOOD SUPPORT BENEFITS AND
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Aging of food support benefits. new text end

new text begin Food support benefits shall not be
stored off line or expunged from a recipient's account unless the benefits have not been
accessed for 12 months after the month they were issued.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Food support reporting requirements. new text end

new text begin The Department of Human
Services shall implement simplified reporting as permitted under the Food Stamp Act of
1977, as amended, and the food stamp regulations at Code of Federal Regulations, title
7, part 273. Food support recipient households required to report periodically shall not
be required to report more often than one time every six months. The provision shall
not apply to households receiving food benefits under the provisions of the Minnesota
family investment program waiver.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 256J.77, is amended to read:

256J.77 AGING OF CASH BENEFITS.

Cash benefits under chapters 256D, 256J, and 256K new text begin , except food stamp benefits
under chapter 256D, new text end by warrants or electronic benefit transfer that have not been accessed
within 90 days of issuance shall be canceled. Cash benefits may be replaced after they are
canceled, for up to one year after the date of issuance, if failure to do so would place the
client or family at risk. For purposes of this section, "accessed" means cashing a warrant
or making at least one withdrawal from benefits deposited in an electronic benefit account.

Sec. 3. new text begin MINNESOTA FOOD SUPPORT PROGRAM SIMPLIFIED
APPLICATION.
new text end

new text begin The Department of Human Services shall create a simplified application for the
Minnesota Food Support program for persons over the age of 60 and persons with
disabilities. The application must be no longer than three pages in length.
new text end