Committee hears $10 million regional food‑bank grant proposal; bill laid over after statewide testimony

The committee considered House File 11 12, a bill to establish a Regional Food Bank grant program with a $10,000,000 appropriation beginning in fiscal year 2026, and laid it over for possible inclusion in a later omnibus bill.

Representative Hemmingson Jaeger presented the measure and described the program’s design: funding would be divided among six regional food banks that serve Minnesota and participating tribal nations; allowable uses include sourcing and distribution of food, and the bill includes reporting requirements and repayment provisions for ineligible expenditures. Hemmingson Jaeger said the bill aims to strengthen purchasing and distribution capacity statewide, including in Greater Minnesota.

Lisonbee O’Toole, CEO of Second Harvest Heartland, testified that Minnesota faces a “hunger crisis,” citing a statewide study and sharp increases in food‑shelf visits. She said the state currently provides no direct funding to food banks and that the $10 million would improve sourcing and distribution capacity, particularly in Greater Minnesota.

Other testifiers included Jessica Francis of Open Cupboard Food Shelf, Channel One Food Bank’s Virginia Witherspoon (remote), and Robert Larson (Lower Sioux Indian Community president), each describing local and regional spikes in demand and shortages of food bank inventories. Committee members probed program details, administrative shares, and reporting provisions. Several members asked for fiscal details and emphasized the bill’s reporting and accountability language.

The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in a later omnibus package.