SB 560 — An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in public assistance, establishing the Pennsylvania Preferred® Food Bucks Program.

PRINTER'S NO.    552

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        SENATE BILL
                        No. 560
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY KANE, KEARNEY, COLLETT, COMITTA, HAYWOOD, FONTANA,
        SCHWANK, COSTA, TARTAGLIONE AND SANTARSIERO, APRIL 4, 2025

     REFERRED TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, APRIL 4, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An
 2      act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public
 3      welfare laws of the Commonwealth," in public assistance,
 4      establishing the Pennsylvania Preferred® Food Bucks Program.
 5      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 6   hereby enacts as follows:
 7      Section 1.    The act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known
 8   as the Human Services Code, is amended by adding a section to
 9   read:
10      Section 405.1C.    Pennsylvania Preferred® Food Bucks
11   Program.--(a)    The Pennsylvania Preferred® Food Bucks Program is
12   established in the department and:
13      (1)   The program shall provide benefit incentives for SNAP
14   recipients who redeem SNAP benefits for the targeted food items
15   specified under subsection (c).
16      (2)   The department may allocate money available for the
17   program to a Pennsylvania nonprofit organization or entity that
18   meets the criteria specified under subsection (b) for the
19   purpose of administering the program throughout this
 1   Commonwealth.
 2      (b)     The department shall develop an application to receive a
 3   grant to administer the program. To be eligible to receive a
 4   grant to administer the program, an applicant shall submit the
 5   application to the department and meet all of the following
 6   criteria:
 7      (1)     The applicant shall be a Pennsylvania nonprofit
 8   organization or entity.
 9      (2)     The applicant shall submit a plan to the department for
10   the preparation and development of the infrastructure necessary
11   to administer the program for the sale of the targeted food
12   items specified under subsection (c) at participating food
13   retailers, including farmers markets, farm stands, mobile
14   markets, community supported agriculture sites, corner stores,
15   rural grocery stores and supermarkets.
16      (3)     The applicant shall conduct research and evaluate the
17   program in accordance with any requirements of the Federal or
18   State grants awarded for the program.
19      (4)     The applicant shall evaluate the impact of the program
20   on purchases made by SNAP recipients and the benefit of the
21   purchases for farmers and businesses in this Commonwealth.
22      (5)     The applicant shall commit to using no less than the
23   minimum percentage of money required for benefit incentives to
24   qualify for a Federal large-scale project grant under the
25   Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-334, 132
26   Stat. 4490) through the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive
27   Program.
28      (6)     The applicant shall agree to provide a benefit incentive
29   of no less than forty cents (40¢) to a SNAP recipient for every
30   one dollar ($1) of SNAP benefits redeemed by the SNAP recipient

20250SB0560PN0552                    - 2 -
 1   for the targeted food items specified under subsection (c).
 2      (7)   The applicant shall agree to coordinate the marketing of
 3   the program with the Pennsylvania Preferred® Program under 3
 4   Pa.C.S. Ch. 46 Subch. B (relating to Pennsylvania Preferred®
 5   Program).
 6      (8)   The applicant shall give preference to retailers and
 7   markets who sell Pennsylvania-grown agricultural commodities or
 8   agricultural commodities designated with the Pennsylvania
 9   Preferred® trademark as defined in 3 Pa.C.S. § 4602 (relating to
10   definitions).
11      (c)   To be eligible for a benefit incentive under the
12   program, the targeted food items shall meet the criteria
13   specified in the definition of "food" in 7 U.S.C. § 2012(k)
14   (relating to definitions) and shall include fruits and
15   vegetables, whether fresh, canned, dried or frozen whole or cut
16   without added sugars, fats, oils or salt.
17      (d)   The mechanism for delivering benefit incentives under
18   the program shall be determined by a grantee selected to
19   administer the program under subsection (b) in conjunction with
20   the department.
21      (e)   The department, in conjunction with the Department of
22   Agriculture, may use all of the following for the administration
23   of the program:
24      (1)   A Federal large-scale project grant under the
25   Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 through the Gus Schumacher
26   Nutrition Incentive Program.
27      (2)   Money appropriated by the General Assembly for benefits
28   for the program.
29      (3)   Any other money made available for the program.
30      (f)   As used in this section, the following words and phrases

20250SB0560PN0552                   - 3 -
1   shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:
2      "Program" means the Pennsylvania Preferred® Food Bucks
3   Program established under subsection (a).
4      "SNAP" means the Federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
5   Program.
6      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




20250SB0560PN0552                 - 4 -