ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-fifth Legislature

First Regular Session

 

HB 2919: nutrition assistance; benefit match (Substituted for SB 1845)

Sponsor:  Representative Bowers, LD 25

House Engrossed

HB 2919 originally passed the House as SB 1176 and was one of 22 bills recently vetoed by the Governor.

Committee on Health & Human Services

Senate: APPROP DP 9-0-1-0 | 3rd Read 28-2-0-0

House: HHS DPA 9-0-0-0 | APPROP W/D | 3rd Read 46-13-1-0

Final Vote: 27-2-1-0

Overview

Requires the Department of Economic Security (DES) to implement a Produce Incentive Program (Program).

History

Nutrition Assistance, formally known as the Food Stamp Program, is Arizona's federally funded program run by DES for the U.S. Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Nutrition Assistance supports families to prevent under-nutrition in Arizona.

The mission of SNAP is to provide nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget of needy families so they can purchase healthy food and move towards self-sufficiency. Items that can be bought with SNAP include bread and cereals, meats, fish, poultry and dairy products, vegetable seeds, food-producing plants and roots and trees, infant formula and diabetic foods.

Provisions

1.   Requires DES to:

a)   Plan, prepare and develop necessary infrastructure to implement a Program for SNAP enrollees to purchase eligible Arizona-grown fruits and vegetables at SNAP-authorized farmers markets, farm stands, mobile markets, community supported agriculture sites, grocery stores and convenience stores;

b)   Subject to available monies, provide matching monies of up to $20 per participating SNAP-authorized site per transaction for a SNAP enrollee to purchase eligible Arizona-grown fruits and vegetables at the participating SNAP-authorized site; and

c)   Conduct research and evaluate the Program and the impact of the Program on purchases made by SNAP enrollees and producers of Arizona-grown fruits and vegetables. (Sec. 1)☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Note

2.   Defines eligible Arizona-grown fruits and vegetables and SNAP. (Sec. 1)

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6.                     HB 2919

7.   Initials EB/IR         Page 0 House Engrossed

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