CHAPTER 319tt
NUTRITIONAL ASSISTANCE

      Sec. 17b-790. (Formerly Sec. 17-12d). Social Services Department required to provide nutrition education program and to inform applicants and participants of their rights and responsibilities. The department shall provide a program of nutrition education in accordance with the Food Stamp Act of 1977, as from time to time amended, and shall provide information to participants and applicants on their rights and responsibilities under the food stamp program.

      (P.A. 75-420, S. 4, 6; 75-554, S. 1, 2; P.A. 77-614, S. 608, 610; Nov. Sp. Sess. P.A. 81-5, S. 3, 6; P.A. 88-156, S. 10.)

      History: P.A. 75-420 allowed substitution of commissioner and department of social services for welfare commissioner and department in P.A. 75-554 which created the section; P.A. 77-614 replaced social services commissioner and department with commissioner and department of income maintenance, effective January 1, 1979; Nov. Sp. Sess. P.A. 81-5 deleted previous provisions detailing required elements of "full participation" plan to be developed by income maintenance department and requiring commissioner of income maintenance to adopt regulations for implementation of plan after public hearing held and inserted instead generally stated requirement for provision of program of nutrition education and provision of information to participants and applicants of their rights and responsibilities under the food stamp program; P.A. 88-156 deleted provision requiring use of federal food stamp manual as state manual in administering food stamp program; Sec. 17-12d transferred to Sec. 17b-790 in 1995.

      Annotation to former section 17-12d:

      Subsec. (a):

      Cited. 214 C. 256.

      Sec. 17b-790a. Food assistance program for legal immigrants. (a) The Commissioner of Social Services, within available appropriations, shall establish a food assistance program for individuals entering the United States prior to April 1, 1998, whose immigrant status meets the eligibility requirements of the federal Food Stamp Act of 1977, as amended, but who are no longer eligible for food stamps solely due to their immigrant status under Public Law 104-193. Individuals who enter the United States after April 1, 1998, must have resided in the state for six months prior to becoming eligible for the state program. The commissioner may administer such program in accordance with the provisions of the federal food stamp program, except those pertaining to the determination of immigrant status under Public Law 104-193.

      (b) The amount of the initial assistance provided to individuals under this section shall be determined at the commissioner's discretion, based on one of the following methodologies: (1) A calculated benefit amount for each case; (2) a basic benefit amount for all cases; or (3) a continuation of the benefit amount previously received under the federal Food Stamp Act of 1977, as amended, prior to discontinuance. Individuals may be eligible for retroactive payments back to April 1, 1998.

      (c) Not later than April 1, 1999, the commissioner shall provide assistance to an individual under this section in an amount equal to the amount the individual would be eligible to receive under the federal Food Stamp Act of 1977, as amended.

      (d) The commissioner shall terminate assistance under this section to any individual whose federal food stamp benefits have been restored.

      (e) The commissioner shall implement the policies and procedures necessary to carry out the provisions of this section while in the process of adopting such policies and procedures in regulation form, provided notice of intent to adopt the regulations is published in the Connecticut Law Journal within twenty days after implementation. Such policies and procedures shall be valid until the time final regulations are effective.

      (P.A. 98-11, S. 1, 3; 98-239, S. 12, 35; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2, S. 18, 69; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9, S. 129, 131; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7, S. 25; P.A. 04-258, S. 18.)

      History: P.A. 98-11 effective April 1, 1998; P.A. 98-239 amended Subsec. (a) to require that the commissioner establish the program within available appropriations, effective July 1, 1998; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2 amended Subsec. (a) to prohibit commissioner from accepting new applications for assistance under section after June 30, 2002, effective July 2, 2001; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9 revised effective date of June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2 but without affecting this section; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7 amended Subsec. (a) to extend the deadline for certain aliens to apply for assistance until June 30, 2003, effective August 15, 2002; P.A. 04-258 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting provision that prohibited commissioner from accepting new applications for assistance under section after June 30, 2003, effective July 1, 2004.

      Sec. 17b-791. (Formerly Sec. 17-598). Supplemental nutrition assistance program. The Department of Social Services shall establish a supplemental nutrition assistance program to provide funds for the purchase of high protein or other nutritionally beneficial supplemental foods, or both, for soup kitchens, food pantries and emergency shelters. Such foods shall be purchased in bulk by the Connecticut Food Bank through in-state wholesalers or brokers, or both, and allotted to existing soup kitchens, food pantries and emergency shelters in accordance with the established policies of the Food Bank. Such soup kitchens, food pantries and emergency shelters shall pay a handling charge of five cents per pound in order to cover the costs incurred by the Connecticut Food Bank. The food shall be distributed free of charge by the soup kitchens, food pantries and emergency shelters.

      (P.A. 87-424, S. 1, 2; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87.)

      History: Sec. 17-31ii transferred to Sec. 17-598 in 1991; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of human resources, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17-598 transferred to Sec. 17b-791 in 1995.

      Sec. 17b-792. (Formerly Sec. 17a-302). Nutrition programs for elderly persons. (a) The Department of Social Services shall be responsible for the administration of programs which provide nutritionally sound diets to needy elderly persons and for the expansion of such programs when possible. Such programs shall be continued in such a manner as to fully utilize congregate feeding and nutrition education of elderly citizens who qualify for such program.

      (b) Each program continued in accordance with subsection (a) of this section shall provide one meal per day, five days per week, to recipients of the program. Each program shall utilize all available municipal, state or local agencies for the purchase of food and equipment and the finding of appropriate locations for such programs.

      (P.A. 75-439, S. 1-3, 4; P.A. 82-66, S. 1, 2; P.A. 93-262, S. 51, 87.)

      History: P.A. 82-66 amended Subsec. (a) to replace the requirement that the department expand nutrition programs with requirement to administer the programs and expand them when possible; Sec. 17-136e transferred to Sec. 17a-302 in 1991; P.A. 93-262 replaced department on aging with department of social services and deleted Subsec. (c) re reports to department on aging to be submitted by state-funded nutrition programs, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17a-302 transferred to Sec. 17b-792 in 1995.

      Secs. 17b-793 to 17b-799. Reserved for future use.