SB416: Bill Text

LRB-3638/1

SWB:jld

2017 - 2018 LEGISLATURE

2017 Senate BILL 416

September 21, 2017 - Introduced by Senators Harsdorf, L. Taylor, Darling, Olsen, Tiffany, Johnson, Petrowski, Cowles, Wirch and Vukmir, cosponsored by Representatives Rohrkaste, Jarchow, Zimmerman, Stafsholt, Tranel, Petryk, Horlacher, Quinn, Thiesfeldt, Tittl, Goyke, Berceau, Genrich and Kolste. Referred to Committee on Public Benefits, Licensing and State-Federal Relations.

SB416,1,3 An Act to create 20.435 (4) (bt) and 49.79 (6m) of the statutes; relating to: FoodShare healthy eating incentive pilot program and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires the Department of Health Services to establish and implement a pilot program to provide discounts to certain households that are eligible for FoodShare benefits with discounts on fresh produce and other healthy foods. FoodShare, also known as the food stamp program and the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, provides benefits to eligible low-income households for the purchase of food. FoodShare is administered by DHS. The federal government pays the benefits for FoodShare while the state and federal government share equally the cost of administration.

Under the bill, DHS must seek proposals from entities to administer the healthy eating incentive pilot program through DHS's request-for-proposal procedures and according to criteria developed by DHS. DHS must then choose an applicant with which to contract and the chosen applicant must administer the program, including managing all financial transactions between and among participants, retailers, food manufacturers, and DHS and also establishing an adequate network of participating retailers to effectively conduct the pilot.

In addition, under the bill, DHS is required to contract with an independent research entity to conduct a study of the program. DHS must identify a certain number of participants in the program to provide food purchase, nutritional, and health data to the research entity. The research entity must then analyze the efficacy of the pilot program in affecting food purchases and the health of participating families.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB416,1 Section 1 . 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table

SB416,2 Section 2. 20.435 (4) (bt) of the statutes is created to read:

SB416,2,7 20.435 (4) (bt) Healthy eating incentive pilot program. Biennially, the amounts in the schedule to contract with an entity to administer the healthy eating incentive program under s. 49.79 (6m). No moneys may be expended under this paragraph after June 30, 2019, except for moneys encumbered on or before that date.

SB416,3 Section 3. 49.79 (6m) of the statutes is created to read:

SB416,2,13 49.79 (6m) Healthy eating incentive pilot program. (a) The department shall establish and implement a 10-month pilot program to provide 2,000 households that are eligible for food stamp program benefits in both urban and rural areas with discounts on fresh produce and other healthy foods at the point-of-sale at participating retailers.

SB416,3,7 (b) The department shall obtain and review proposals to administer the program under par. (a) in accordance with the department's request-for-proposal procedures and according to criteria developed by the department. After reviewing the applications submitted, the department shall select an applicant and enter into a contract with that applicant to administer the program under this subsection. In administering the program, the selected applicant shall do at least all of the following:

SB416,3,9 1. Manage all financial transactions between and among participants, retailers, food manufacturers, and the department.

SB416,3,11 2. Establish an adequate network of participating retailers to effectively conduct the pilot.

SB416,3,17 (c) The department shall contract with an independent research entity to conduct a study of the program established under this subsection. The department shall identify a statistically significant number of participants in the pilot program to provide food purchase, nutritional, and health data to the independent research entity. The research entity shall analyze the efficacy of the pilot program in affecting food purchases and the health of participating families.

SB416,4 Section 4. Effective date.

SB416,3,20 (1) This act takes effect on the day after publication, or on the 2nd day after publication of the 2017 biennial budget act, whichever is later.

SB416,3,21 (End)