Minnesota SF 4061: Minnesota supplemental nutrition assistance program establishment

Bill Text

1.1 A bill for an act​
1.2 relating to food assistance; establishing the Minnesota supplemental nutrition​
1.3 assistance program; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in​
1.4 Minnesota Statutes, chapter 142F.​
1.5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:​
1.6 Section 1. [142F.121] MINNESOTA SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE​
1.7 PROGRAM.​
1.8 Subdivision 1.Purpose.The Minnesota supplemental nutrition assistance program​
1.9 (MNSNAP) serves adults and children who are at significant risk of hunger due to federal​
1.10 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) cuts and restrictions. MNSNAP seeks​
1.11 to solve the crisis created by ending federal food benefits to veterans, seniors, Minnesotans​
1.12 experiencing homelessness, youth aging out of foster care, new Americans, and working​
1.13 parents who have experienced a job loss.​
1.14 Subd. 2.Eligibility.Minnesotans who were or would have been eligible for federal​
1.15 SNAP as of June 30, 2025, are eligible for MNSNAP.​
1.16 Subd. 3.Food benefits continuation.(a) When a participant is determined eligible for​
1.17 MNSNAP, food assistance benefits must continue.​
1.18 (b) The commissioner must determine the most appropriate and efficient state-funded​
1.19 mechanism and county process to continue benefits for participants.​
1.20 Subd. 4.Assessment.(a) Within 30 days of a participant's enrollment in MNSNAP, the​
1.21 county or Tribal agency or state-approved navigator must meet face-to-face with the​
1.22 participant. The commissioner must ensure that the face-to-face meeting occurs.​
1​Section 1.​
26-07031 as introduced​02/20/26 REVISOR DTT/CH​
SENATE​
STATE OF MINNESOTA​
S.F. No. 4061​NINETY-FOURTH SESSION​
(SENATE AUTHORS: MANN, Boldon, Kupec, Maye Quade and Abeler)​
OFFICIAL STATUS​D-PG​DATE​
Introduction and first reading​6458​03/02/2026​
Referred to Health and Human Services​
Authors added Boldon; Kupec; Maye Quade​6489​03/04/2026​
Author added Abeler​6580​03/09/2026​

2.1 (b) During the face-to-face meeting under paragraph (a), the county or Tribal agency or​
2.2 state-approved navigator must:​
2.3 (1) determine whether the participant's loss of federal SNAP benefits may be explained​
2.4 by advanced age, illness, injury, violence, addiction, disability, homelessness, veteran status,​
2.5 or a recent exit from the foster care system;​
2.6 (2) determine whether the participant is eligible for an exemption under Code of Federal​
2.7 Regulations, title 7, section 273.24;​
2.8 (3) assist the participant in obtaining a current assessment by a behavioral health or​
2.9 medical professional to identify any barriers to the participant's consistent compliance with​
2.10 the requirements of Code of Federal Regulations, title 7, section 273.24; and​
2.11 (4) identify available resources that may assist a participant who is attempting to meet​
2.12 the requirements of Code of Federal Regulations, title 7, section 273.24.​
2.13 (c) If the participant does not attend the face-to-face meeting, the county or Tribal agency​
2.14 or state-approved navigator must attempt at least one home visit.​
2.15 (d) If a face-to-face meeting is not conducted and the home visit attempt is unsuccessful,​
2.16 the county or Tribal agency or state-approved navigator must send the participant a written​
2.17 notice that provides information on MNSNAP.​
2.18 Subd. 5.Exiting MNSNAP.(a) Based on the assessment under subdivision 4, if the​
2.19 county or Tribal agency or state-approved navigator determines a participant is eligible for​
2.20 a federal exemption under Code of Federal Regulations, title 7, section 273.24, the participant​
2.21 must exit MNSNAP and convert to receive federal SNAP benefits.​
2.22 (b) Based on the assessment under subdivision 4, if the county or Tribal agency or​
2.23 state-approved navigator determines a participant can consistently meet the federal​
2.24 requirements in Code of Federal Regulations, title 7, section 273.24, the participant must​
2.25 exit MNSNAP and convert to receive federal SNAP benefits.​
2.26 Subd. 6.Moratorium.Beginning July 1, 2026, the commissioner must enact an​
2.27 emergency moratorium on the termination of food assistance for Minnesotans experiencing​
2.28 new federal SNAP restrictions implemented after July 1, 2025, where there is no current​
2.29 medical, behavioral health, or vocational assessment indicating a participant's ability to​
2.30 consistently comply with the federal requirements in Code of Federal Regulations, title 7,​
2.31 section 273.24.​
2​Section 1.​
26-07031 as introduced​02/20/26 REVISOR DTT/CH​

3.1 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; MINNESOTA SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION​
3.2 ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.​
3.3 $....... in fiscal year 2027 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of​
3.4 children, youth, and families for the Minnesota supplemental nutrition assistance program​
3.5 (MNSNAP) under Minnesota Statutes, section 142F.121.​
3​Sec. 2.​
26-07031 as introduced​02/20/26 REVISOR