Vermont H 151: An act relating to implementing the Restaurant Meals Program

Bill Text

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.151
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VT LEG #380340 v.1
H.151 1
Introduced by Representatives McGill of Bridport, Burrows of West Windsor, 2
Cole of Hartford, Headrick of Burlington, McCann of 3
Montpelier, Morrow of Weston, Pouech of Hinesburg, and 4
Waszazak of Barre City 5
Referred to Committee on 6
Date: 7
Subject: Human services; food insecurity; 3SquaresVT; Restaurant Meals 8
Program 9
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to implement the 10
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s Restaurant Meals Program in 11
Vermont. 12
An act relating to implementing the Restaurant Meals Program 13
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 14
* * * Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Generally * * * 15
Sec. 1. 33 V.S.A. § 1701 is amended to read: 16
§ 1701. SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 17
(a) The State of Vermont may shall participate in the federal Supplemental 18
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) pursuant to 7 U.S.C. chapter 51. The 19
purpose of SNAP is to alleviate hunger and malnutrition among households 20

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VT LEG #380340 v.1
with low income by increasing their food purchasing power and access to 1
nutritious, safe food. 2
* * * 3
* * * Restaurant Meals Program * * * 4
Sec. 2. 33 V.S.A. § 1704 is added to read: 5
§ 1704. RESTAURANT MEALS PROGRAM 6
(a) The State shall participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 7
Program’s Restaurant Meals Program. The Restaurant Meals Program shall be 8
administered by the Agency of Human Services, in consultation with the 9
Agency of Commerce and Community Development. 10
(b) Restaurant participation in the Restaurant Meals Program shall be 11
voluntary. The Agency of Human Services, in consultation with the Agency of 12
Commerce and Community Development, shall develop and publish on its 13
website a list of eligibility criteria for restaurant participation in the Restaurant 14
Meals Program, including that participating restaurants are licensed pursuant to 15
18 V.S.A. chapter 85. The eligibility criteria shall advance the following 16
goals: 17
(1) Locally produced foods are widely available to Restaurant Meals 18
Program clients. 19
(2) Restaurants serving foods that represent diverse cultural traditions 20
participate in the Restaurant Meals Program. 21

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VT LEG #380340 v.1
(3) Participating restaurants are located in geographically diverse 1
regions of the State and in areas with significant populations of eligible 2
program participants. 3
(c) The Agency of Human Services, in consultation with the Agency of 4
Commerce and Community Development, shall provide technical assistance to 5
those restaurants applying to and participating in the Restaurant Meals 6
Program. 7
Sec. 3. ADOPTION OF RESRATAURANT MEALS PROGRAM 8
The Agency of Human Services shall work in collaboration with the U.S. 9
Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service to adopt the 10
Restaurant Meals Program in Vermont pursuant to 33 V.S.A. § 1704. 11
Documents submitted to the Food and Nutrition Services shall include a 12
comprehensive implementation plan describing criteria for participating 13
restaurants and a template of the memorandum of understanding that shall be 14
used by the Agency and participating restaurants. 15
Sec. 4. POSITION AUTHORIZATION; APPROPRIATION; RESTAURANT 16
MEALS PROGRAM 17
(a) In fiscal year 2026, one new permanent classified position, Restaurant 18
Meals Program Coordinator, is authorized for establishment within the Agency 19
of Human Services. 20

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VT LEG #380340 v.1
(b) In fiscal year 2026, $100,000.00 is appropriated from the General Fund 1
to the Agency of Human Services to support the position established in 2
subsection (a) of this section. The position shall provide technical assistance to 3
restaurants applying to and participating in the Restaurant Meals Program 4
pursuant to Sec. 2 of this act and to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 5
Program retailers generally. 6
(c) In fiscal year 2026, $75,000.00 is appropriated from the General Fund 7
to the Agency of Human Services to cover equipment and restaurant start-up 8
costs related to restaurant participation in the Restaurant Meals Program 9
pursuant to Sec. 2 of this act. 10
* * * Effective Date * * * 11
Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE 12
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 13