HF5133

Purpose

Establish a state-level contingency fund within Minnesota law to provide SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits to recipients if federal funding for SNAP lapses during a government shutdown or if federal funds are otherwise unavailable. The bill creates a mechanism for timely, temporary state support to SNAP participants when federal funds are not being released.

Main Provisions

• Creates a new Subd. 5 (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program contingency appropriation) in Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 142F.05.
• Funding amount and duration: Up to $20,000,000 per week, for up to six weeks, from the general fund.
• Administration and distribution: Money is given to the commissioner of children, youth and families to allocate to counties, which then distribute it to SNAP recipients.
• Trigger conditions: The contingency funds may be used if:
  • there is a full or partial federal government shutdown and USDA funding for SNAP has lapsed, and/or
  • the federal SNAP contingency reserve fund has insufficient funds or the federal government does not release SNAP funds to Minnesota.
• Calculation of weekly amount: The weekly appropriation is based on Minnesota’s total federal SNAP allocation for the month prior to the appropriation.
• Funding gaps: If Minnesota’s general fund balance isn’t enough to cover the appropriation, the commissioner of management and budget, in consultation with the commissioner of children, youth and families, must transfer the necessary amount from the state budget reserve (section 16A.152, subdivision 1a) to the general fund.
• Reporting requirement: Within 90 days of an appropriation under this subdivision, the commissioner must submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over food support, detailing state SNAP contingency appropriations and expenditures.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Adds a new contingency appropriation authority to Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 142F.05, subsection 5, creating a dedicated funding stream to support SNAP during federal funding gaps.
• Establishes a process for calculating, funding, transferring, and reporting on contingency SNAP expenditures, tying state actions to federal SNAP activity and reserve funds.

Mechanisms and Oversight

• Responsible entities: commissioner of children, youth and families; commissioner of management and budget; counties distributing benefits; the Legislature’s committees overseeing food support.
• Funding flow: general fund → commissioner of children, youth and families → counties → SNAP recipients; potential interfund transfer from the budget reserve if needed.
• Accountability: 90-day reporting requirement to legislative leaders.

Context and Implications

• Purposeful alignment with federal SNAP funding cycles and reserves to avoid gaps in benefits during federal funding disruptions.
• Creates a finite, reportable stopgap that operates only when specific federal funding conditions are met, rather than replacing ongoing federal SNAP funding.

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Relevant Terms Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) contingency appropriation general fund commissioner of children, youth and families counties federal government shutdown United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) SNAP contingency reserve fund budget reserve (section 16A.152 subdivision 1a) Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 142F.05 Subd. 5 appropriation report within 90 days chairs and ranking minority members legislative committees with jurisdiction over food support SNAP recipients lapsed funds