“A bill to amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to reform the restaurant meals program, and for other purposes.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section revises the restaurant meals program (RMP) under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—which allows states to authorize certain SNAP households (i.e., elderly, disabled, or homeless individuals) to redeem benefits for hot meals at approved private establishments—as follows: (1) requires participating establishments to be retail food stores operating a prepared food section, hot bar, or deli counter, not primarily engaged in quick-service or fast-food sales (as determined by the Secretary), and meeting state and local food safety standards applicable to grocery stores or supermarkets; (2) limits benefit redemption to meals from such sections intended for immediate consumption that contain at least one fruit or vegetable and one protein (as defined by the Secretary); (3) exempts SNAP-authorized retail food stores from obtaining separate RMP authorization and directs the Secretary to ensure electronic benefit transfer (EBT) systems restrict redemptions to eligible households; (4) excludes spouses of SNAP-eligible individuals from RMP participation; and (5) requires the Secretary's report to Congress to include, and make publicly available, the number of participating establishments (with names, locations, and benefits redeemed per establishment), number of individuals served, program costs, and program effectiveness.