1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to food stamps; creating a food stamp 
  1.3             outreach program; proposing coding for new law in 
  1.4             Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [256.8799] [FOOD STAMP OUTREACH PROGRAM.] 
  1.7      Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT.] The commissioner of human 
  1.8   services shall establish, in consultation with the 
  1.9   representatives from community action agencies and the advisory 
  1.10  committee in subdivision 4, a statewide outreach program to 
  1.11  better inform potential recipients of the existence and 
  1.12  availability of food stamps under the food stamp program.  The 
  1.13  commissioner shall explore and pursue federal funding sources, 
  1.14  and specifically, apply for funding from the United States 
  1.15  Department of Agriculture for the food stamp outreach program. 
  1.16     Subd. 2.  [ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM.] A community 
  1.17  association representing community action agencies under section 
  1.18  268.53, in consultation with the commissioner shall administer 
  1.19  the outreach program, issue the request for proposals, and 
  1.20  review and approve the potential grantee's plan.  Grantees shall 
  1.21  comply with the monitoring and reporting requirements as 
  1.22  developed by the advisory committee, and must also participate 
  1.23  in the evaluation process as directed by the advisory 
  1.24  committee.  Grantees must successfully complete one year of 
  1.25  outreach and demonstrate compliance with all monitoring and 
  2.1   reporting requirements in order to be eligible for additional 
  2.2   funding. 
  2.3      Subd. 3.  [PLAN CONTENT.] In approving the plan, the 
  2.4   association shall evaluate the plan and give highest priority to 
  2.5   a plan that: 
  2.6      (1) targets communities in which 50 percent or fewer of the 
  2.7   residents with incomes below 125 percent of the poverty level 
  2.8   receive food stamps; 
  2.9      (2) demonstrates that the grantee has the experience 
  2.10  necessary to administer the program; 
  2.11     (3) demonstrates a cooperative relationship with the local 
  2.12  county social service agencies; 
  2.13     (4) provides ways to improve the dissemination of 
  2.14  information on the food stamp program as well as other 
  2.15  assistance programs through a statewide hotline or other 
  2.16  community agencies; 
  2.17     (5) provides direct advocacy consisting of face-to-face 
  2.18  assistance with the potential applicants; 
  2.19     (6) improves access to the food stamp program by 
  2.20  documenting barriers to participation and advocating for changes 
  2.21  in the administrative structure of the program; and 
  2.22     (7) develops strategies for combatting community 
  2.23  stereotypes about food stamp recipients and the food stamp 
  2.24  program, misinformation about the program, and the stigma 
  2.25  associated with using food stamps. 
  2.26     Subd. 4.  [ADVISORY COMMITTEE.] The commissioner shall 
  2.27  appoint members to the statewide advisory committee consisting 
  2.28  of not more than 15 members.  The advisory committee members 
  2.29  must include representatives from the United States Department 
  2.30  of Agriculture, Minnesota community action association, Food 
  2.31  First Coalition, Minnesota department of human services, Urban 
  2.32  Coalition/University of Minnesota extension services, at least 
  2.33  three county social service agencies, local social service 
  2.34  agencies, and organizations that have previously administered 
  2.35  state-funded food stamp outreach programs.  The statewide 
  2.36  committee shall: 
  3.1      (1) develop the reporting requirements for the program; 
  3.2      (2) monitor the program; 
  3.3      (3) develop, coordinate, and assist in the evaluation 
  3.4   process; and 
  3.5      (4) provide an interim report to the legislature by January 
  3.6   1997, and a final report to the legislature by January 1998, 
  3.7   which includes the results of the evaluation and recommendations.
  3.8      Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  3.9      $150,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  3.10  commissioner of human services to be available until June 30, 
  3.11  1997, for the purposes of section 1.  An amount equal to seven 
  3.12  percent of the state appropriation shall be allocated to the 
  3.13  Minnesota community action association for administrative costs.