An Act to Provide Funding for the Fund to Address Food Insecurity and Provide Nutrition Incentives
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 0568
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: POULIOT, PLUECKER, BLACK, HICKMAN, JACKSON, CRAY, GUERRETTE
Amends: 7 MRSA §219-B

Legislative Document
No. 568
S.P. 239
In Senate, February 9, 2023
An Act to Provide Funding for the Fund to Address Food Insecurity 
and Provide Nutrition Incentives
(EMERGENCY)
Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and 
ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator POULIOT of Kennebec.
Cosponsored by Representative PLUECKER of Warren and
Senators: BLACK of Franklin, HICKMAN of Kennebec, President JACKSON of Aroostook, 
Representatives: CRAY of Palmyra, GUERRETTE of Caribou.
Emergency preamble.  Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, the 90-day period may not terminate until after the beginning of the next 
fiscal year; and
Whereas, nutrition incentives and nutrition assistance programs benefit Maine 
residents in all 16 counties, and state funding will allow further expansion to rural and 
underserved communities in Maine; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  7 MRSA §219-B, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 468, §1, is amended to 
read:
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.
Sec. 2.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made.
AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY, DEPARTMENT OF
Fund To Address Food Insecurity and Provide Nutrition Incentives Z329
Initiative: Provides ongoing appropriations to fund nutrition incentives and nutrition 
assistance programs.
GENERAL FUND
2023-24
2024-25
All Other
$600,000
$600,000
__________
__________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL
$600,000
$600,000
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation 
takes effect when approved.
SUMMARY
This bill provides ongoing General Fund appropriations of $600,000 to the Fund To 
Address Food Insecurity and Provide Nutrition Incentives within the Department of 
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. The bill also removes the $50,000 limit on 
matching contributions from the fund criteria.