Bill Text: NJ A4383 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires issuance of food vouchers in "Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program" in multiple monetary denominations; establishes pilot program to allow Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program participants to obtain shares of farm products from community supported agriculture.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-05-11 - Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading [A4383 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-A4383-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman VINCENT MAZZEO
District 2 (Atlantic)
Assemblyman ADAM J. TALIAFERRO
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
SYNOPSIS
Requires issuance of food vouchers in "Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program" in multiple monetary denominations; establishes pilot program to allow Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program participants to obtain shares of farm products from community supported agriculture.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the "Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program" and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. In administering the "Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program" (SFMNP) established pursuant to 7 U.S.C. s.3007, the Commissioner of Health shall issue SFMNP food vouchers in multiple monetary denominations, in order to ensure that eligible seniors are not required to expend, in a single visit to the market, the entire amount of benefits received thereby under the SFMNP, and are better able to budget their use of SFMNP food vouchers over a prolonged period of time.
b. The commissioner may adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to implement the provisions of this section.
2. a. The Commissioner of Health, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall establish a pilot program to test the feasibility of allowing participants in the "Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program" (SFMNP) to use SFMNP food vouchers issued thereto to obtain shares of farm products that are produced through community supported agriculture, as a means to improve SFMNP participants' access to fresh, seasonal, and locally-produced fruits, vegetables, and other farm products.
b. The Commissioner of Health, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to implement the provisions of this section. Such rules and regulations shall, at a minimum, establish a procedure pursuant to which a SFMNP participant may obtain shares of farm products produced through community supported agriculture as part of the pilot program, and a procedure pursuant to which a community supported agriculture farm may be authorized to act as a vendor in the pilot program.
c. Within one year after the pilot program is established pursuant to subsection a. of this section, the Commissioner of Health, in cooperation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall report to the Governor, and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature, on the success of the pilot program. The report shall: (1) describe the extent of public participation in the pilot program; (2) evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot program; (3) evaluate the feasibility of continuing the pilot program on a permanent basis; (4) describe any costs associated with implementation or maintenance of the pilot program; and (5) provide recommendations for legislation or other action that may be necessary to expand the program and make it permanent.
3. This act shall take effect on the 1st day of the third month following the date of enactment, except that the Commissioner of Health and the Secretary of Agriculture may take any anticipatory administrative action in advance thereof as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill would require the Commissioner of Health, in administering the "Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program" (SFMNP) established under federal law, to issue SFMNP food vouchers to eligible seniors in multiple monetary denominations, and work together with the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a pilot program to test the feasibility of allowing SFMNP participants to use their food vouchers to purchase shares of farm products that are produced through community supported agriculture.
The bill's provision requiring the issuance of food vouchers in multiple denominations is intended to better facilitate SFMNP voucher use in the State by preventing the underutilization of food vouchers, and by ensuring that eligible seniors are not required to expend, during a single trip to the market, the entire amount of benefits received thereby under the SFMNP, and are better able to budget their use of food vouchers over a prolonged period of time. The Commissioner of Health would be authorized, but not required, to adopt rules and regulations in association with the issuance of vouchers in multiple denominations.
The bill's provision requiring the establishment of a pilot program is intended to provide a means to improve the ability of SFMNP participants to obtain fresh, seasonal, and locally-produced fruits, vegetables, and other farm products on a regular basis. The Commissioner of Health and Secretary of Agriculture would be required to work together to adopt rules and regulations to implement the pilot program. At a minimum, such rules and regulations would be required to establish a procedure pursuant to which a SFMNP participant may obtain shares of farm products produced through community supported agriculture as part of the pilot program, and a procedure pursuant to which a community supported agriculture farm may be authorized to act as a vendor in the pilot program.
Within one year after the pilot program is established, the commissioner and secretary would be required to report to the Governor and the Legislature on the success of the pilot program. The report would be required to: (1) describe the extent of public participation in the pilot program; (2) evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot program; (3) evaluate the feasibility of continuing the pilot program on a permanent basis; (4) describe any costs associated with implementation or maintenance of the pilot program; and (5) provide recommendations for legislation or other action that may be necessary to expand the program and make it permanent.
