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--- version:Chapter 543
+++ version:LD 2004 SP 820
@@ -1,51 +1,62 @@
-Page 1 - 132LR2775(03)
-STATE OF MAINE
-_____
-IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
-TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX
-_____
-S.P. 820 - L.D. 2004
-An Act to Enhance Support of Local Nutrition Incentive Programs by
-Modifying the Eligibility Requirements of the Fund to Address Food
-Insecurity and Provide Nutrition Incentives
-Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
-Sec. 1.  7 MRSA §219-B, as corrected by RR 2021, c. 1, Pt. A, §7, is amended to
-read:
-§219-B.  Fund To Address Food Insecurity and Provide Nutrition Incentives
-1.  Fund established.  The Fund To Address Food Insecurity and Provide Nutrition
-Incentives, referred to in this section as "the fund," is established in the department to
-provide incentives to federal food and nutrition assistance program participants for the
-purchase of locally grown fruits and vegetables and to support outreach for and
-administration of programs that offer nutrition incentives to participants of federal food and
-nutrition assistance programs.  The fund is established to match contributions from private
-and public sources of up to $50,000 annually to further the purposes of this section.  The
-fund, to be accounted within the department, must be held separate and apart from all other
-money, funds and accounts.  Eligible investment earnings credited to the assets of the fund
-become part of the assets of the fund.  Any unexpended balances remaining in the fund at
-the end of any fiscal year do not lapse and must be carried forward to the next fiscal year.
-For purposes of this section, "local" means within the State.
-2.  Fund recipients.  An organization based in the State that supports local food
-producers, local food production or low-income individuals in receiving food and nutrition
-assistance may receive proceeds from the fund upon application with the department.  The
-department shall prioritize an applicant that has a demonstrated history of incentivizing the
-use of federal food and nutrition assistance programs to purchase locally grown fruits and
-vegetables or that demonstrates the ability to leverage the proceeds to match or receive
-additional funds from local, state, federal or private sources.  The department shall
-periodically post a request for applications for eligible organizations to apply for fund
-proceeds.
-3.  Report; audit.  The department shall require a periodic report from a recipient
-under subsection 2 detailing the use of fund proceeds and the federal food and nutrition
-APPROVED
-MARCH 3, 2026
-BY GOVERNOR
-CHAPTER
-543
-PUBLIC LAW
-Page 2 - 132LR2775(03)
-assistance programs involved and to ensure that the funds are expended appropriately
-pursuant to this section.  The department may audit a recipient to carry out the purposes of
-this subsection.
-4.  Rules.  The department may adopt routine technical rules as defined in Title 5,
-chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A to carry out the purposes of the fund, including application
-criteria and procedures for recipients, disbursement of funds to recipients and for outreach
-and administration purposes and reporting and audit procedures for recipients.
+Printed on recycled paper
+132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
+SECOND REGULAR SESSION-2026
+Legislative Document No. 2004
+S.P. 820 In Senate, December 5, 2025
+An Act to Enhance Support of Local Nutrition Incentive Programs
+by Modifying the Eligibility Requirements of the Fund to Address
+Food Insecurity and Provide Nutrition Incentives
+Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule
+203.
+Received by the Secretary of the Senate on December 3, 2025.  Referred to the Committee
+on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed.
+DAREK M. GRANT
+Secretary of the Senate
+Presented by Senator INGWERSEN of York.
+Cosponsored by Representative PLUECKER of Warren and
+Senators: BENNETT of Oxford, BLACK of Franklin, President DAUGHTRY of Cumberland,
+ROTUNDO of Androscoggin, TALBOT ROSS of Cumberland, TIPPING of Penobscot,
+Representatives: GRAHAM of North Yarmouth, SALISBURY of Westbrook.
+
+Page 1 - 132LR2775(01)
+1Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
+2Sec. 1.  7 MRSA §219-B, as corrected by RR 2021, c. 1, Pt. A, §7, is amended to
+3 read:
+4§219-B.  Fund To Address Food Insecurity and Provide Nutrition Incentives
+51.  Fund established.  The Fund To Address Food Insecurity and Provide Nutrition
+6 Incentives, referred to in this section as "the fund," is established in the department to
+7 provide incentives to federal food and nutrition assistance program participants for the
+8 purchase of locally grown fruits and vegetables and to support outreach for and
+9 administration of programs that offer nutrition incentives to participants of federal food and
+10 nutrition assistance programs.  The fund is established to match contributions from private
+11 and public sources of up to $50,000 annually to further the purposes of this section.  The
+12 fund, to be accounted within the department, must be held separate and apart from all other
+13 money, funds and accounts.  Eligible investment earnings credited to the assets of the fund
+14 become part of the assets of the fund.  Any unexpended balances remaining in the fund at
+15 the end of any fiscal year do not lapse and must be carried forward to the next fiscal year.
+16 For purposes of this section, "local" means within the State.
+172.  Fund recipients.  An organization based in the State that supports local food
+18 producers, local food production or low-income individuals in receiving food and nutrition
+19 assistance may receive proceeds from the fund upon application with the department.  The
+20 department shall prioritize an applicant that has a demonstrated history of incentivizing the
+21 use of federal food and nutrition assistance programs to purchase locally grown fruits and
+22 vegetables or that demonstrates the ability to leverage the proceeds to match or receive
+23 additional funds from local, state, federal or private sources.  The department shall
+24 periodically post a request for applications for eligible organizations to apply for fund
+25 proceeds.
+263.  Report; audit.  The department shall require a periodic report from a recipient
+27 under subsection 2 detailing the use of fund proceeds and the federal food and nutrition
+28 assistance programs involved and to ensure that the funds are expended appropriately
+29 pursuant to this section.  The department may audit a recipient to carry out the purposes of
+30 this subsection.
+314.  Rules.  The department may adopt routine technical rules as defined in Title 5,
+32 chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A to carry out the purposes of the fund, including application
+33 criteria and procedures for recipients, disbursement of funds to recipients and for outreach
+34 and administration purposes and reporting and audit procedures for recipients.
+35SUMMARY
+36 This bill makes funds from the Fund To Address Food Insecurity and Provide Nutrition
+37 Incentives more readily available to local nutrition incentive programs by removing
+38 language that specifies federal food and nutrition assistance programs.
+36
+37
+38