HB2714 - 472R - House Bill Summary

House of Representatives

HB 2714

appropriation; nutrition programs

Sponsors: Representative Hershberger

DP	Committee on Human Services
DP	Committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture
DP	Committee on Appropriations (B)
DP	Caucus and COW
x	As Engrossed and As Passed the House	This bill as introduced contains *an Appropriation clause.*

HB 2714 appropriates $300,000 to the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) to fund a voucher program for low-income women, children, and seniors to enable them to purchase fruits and vegetables at specific Department of Health Services’ (DHS) approved farmers’ markets.

History

Arizona Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) is a federally funded program which provides specific Arizona residents with nourishing supplemental foods, nutrition education, and referrals for child immunizations. WIC participants are pregnant, breastfeeding, or postpartum women, infants and children up to 5 years old who have nutritional needs and meet income guidelines.

Arizona Commodity Supplemental Foods Program (CSFP) or Food Plus is a federal food distribution program. The participants are pregnant, breast-feeding and postpartum women, children and elderly persons who meet income and residence guidelines. Each CSFP clinic provides nutrition information to all participants using at least two nutrition contacts within a six month period, or annually for elderly clients.

FMNP is administered by DHS, Office of Nutrition Services in collaboration with the Association of Arizona Food Banks and the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. (ITCA). FMNP is a program to increase fruit and vegetable intake for women and children participating in WIC and senior clients participating in CSFP. Senior clients in selected tribal nutrition programs may also participate. Currently, FMNP clients receive vouchers to enable them to purchase $30 of fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables at approved farmers' markets each year.

HB 2714 appropriates $300,000 from the General Fund (GF) in fiscal year (FY) 2006–2007 to the FMNP to fund a voucher program for low-income women and children participating in the WIC program and seniors participating in CSFP or Tribal Meals, to enable them to purchase fruits and vegetables at DHS approved farmers’ markets.

Provisions

· Appropriates $300,000 from the GF in FY 2006–2007 to DHS to fund a full year voucher program for low-income women and children participating in WIC and seniors participating in Food Plus or Tribal Meals to be able to purchase fruits and vegetables at specific DHS approved farmers’ markets.

· Exempts the appropriation from lapsing.

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· Forty-seventh Legislature