1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; modifying food support requirements; amending 
1.3 	Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 256J.77; proposing coding for new law in 
1.4 	Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256D.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [256D.0516] AGING OF FOOD SUPPORT BENEFITS AND 
1.7 	REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Aging of food support benefits. Food support benefits shall not be 
1.9 	stored off line or expunged from a recipient's account unless the benefits have not been 
1.10 	accessed for 12 months after the month they were issued.
1.11 		Subd. 2.Food support reporting requirements. The Department of Human 
1.12 	Services shall implement simplified reporting as permitted under the Food Stamp Act of 
1.13 	1977, as amended, and the food stamp regulations at Code of Federal Regulations, title 
1.14 	7, part 273. Food support recipient households required to report periodically shall not 
1.15 	be required to report more often than one time every six months. The provision shall 
1.16 	not apply to households receiving food benefits under the provisions of the Minnesota 
1.17 	family investment program waiver.

1.18 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 256J.77, is amended to read:
1.19 	256J.77 AGING OF CASH BENEFITS.
1.20 	Cash benefits under chapters 256D, 256J, and 256K, except food stamp benefits 
1.21 	under chapter 256D,  by warrants or electronic benefit transfer that have not been accessed 
1.22 	within 90 days of issuance shall be canceled. Cash benefits may be replaced after they are 
1.23 	canceled, for up to one year after the date of issuance, if failure to do so would place the 
2.1 	client or family at risk. For purposes of this section, "accessed" means cashing a warrant 
2.2 	or making at least one withdrawal from benefits deposited in an electronic benefit account.

2.3 	Sec. 3. MINNESOTA FOOD SUPPORT PROGRAM SIMPLIFIED 
2.4 	APPLICATION.
 2.5 	The Department of Human Services shall create a simplified application for the 
2.6 	Minnesota Food Support program for persons over the age of 60 and persons with 
2.7 	disabilities. The application must be no longer than three pages in length.