1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to agriculture; creating a food coupon 
  1.3             program using "Minnesota grown" products; 
  1.4             appropriating money. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [MINNESOTA GROWN COUPONS.] 
  1.7      The commissioner of agriculture shall create and administer 
  1.8   a "Minnesota grown" coupon program to provide food coupons to 
  1.9   eligible individuals under section 2.  The commissioner shall 
  1.10  issue $35 in coupons each month to eligible individuals.  
  1.11     The commissioner of human services shall provide to the 
  1.12  commissioner of agriculture the names and addresses of 
  1.13  recipients of the temporary hunger prevention and community 
  1.14  development initiative program and any other information 
  1.15  necessary to ensure the administrative efficiency of the 
  1.16  "Minnesota grown" coupon program. 
  1.17     The coupons must be clearly labeled as redeemable only for 
  1.18  products identified by a "Minnesota grown" logo or labeling 
  1.19  statement under Minnesota Statutes, section 17.102.  Coupons may 
  1.20  be redeemed by farmers' markets, community-supported agriculture 
  1.21  farms, marketing projects, grocery stores, and retailers.  The 
  1.22  person accepting the coupon is responsible for its redemption 
  1.23  only on products identified by a "Minnesota grown" logo or 
  1.24  labeling statement.  
  1.25     Sec. 2.  [PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY.] 
  2.1      Subdivision 1.  [ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.] The "Minnesota 
  2.2   grown" coupon program must serve individuals: 
  2.3      (1) who resided in this state as of July 1, 1997; 
  2.4      (2) who have at least one dependent child or are over 50 
  2.5   years of age; 
  2.6      (3) whose income is below 130 percent of federal poverty 
  2.7   guidelines; and 
  2.8      (4) who have no assets over the level allowed under the 
  2.9   federal food stamp program, excluding the possession of a motor 
  2.10  vehicle valued at $4,500 or less and a homestead.  
  2.11     Subd. 2.  [ELIGIBILITY FOR LEGAL NONCITIZENS.] An 
  2.12  individual who seeks assistance under the "Minnesota grown" 
  2.13  coupon program because of benefits lost due to citizenship 
  2.14  status shall receive assistance if the legal noncitizen: 
  2.15     (1) is enrolled in a literacy class, English as a second 
  2.16  language class, or citizenship class; 
  2.17     (2) is applying for admission to a literacy class, English 
  2.18  as a second language class, or citizenship class and is enrolled 
  2.19  within a reasonable time after application; 
  2.20     (3) is in the process of applying for a waiver from the 
  2.21  Immigration and Naturalization Service of the English language 
  2.22  or civics requirement of the citizenship test; 
  2.23     (4) has submitted an application for citizenship to the 
  2.24  Immigration and Naturalization Service and is waiting for a 
  2.25  testing date or a subsequent swearing in ceremony; or 
  2.26     (5) has been denied citizenship due to a failure to pass 
  2.27  the test after two attempts or due to a denial of the 
  2.28  application for naturalization because of an inability to 
  2.29  understand the rights and responsibilities of becoming a citizen.
  2.30     Sec. 3.  [REPORT.] 
  2.31     The commissioner of agriculture shall report on the 
  2.32  "Minnesota grown" coupon program by January 15 annually to the 
  2.33  house agriculture committee and the senate agriculture committee.
  2.34     Sec. 4.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.35     $....... is appropriated to the commissioner of agriculture 
  2.36  from the general fund for the biennium ending June 30, 1999, for 
  3.1   the purposes of sections 1 to 3.