(a) The Department of Public Health shall permit a vendor, who the department previously authorized to participate in the federal Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children, but who was disqualified from program participation during the period commencing on January 1, 2007, through June 12, 2008, due to the failure of such vendor to: (1) File a complete application for continued participation in the program, or (2) comply with the department's prescribed minimum inventory requirements, to reapply for reinstatement as an authorized vendor in the program. The Department of Public Health shall, not later than thirty days from June 12, 2008, provide written notification to vendors who are permitted to reapply for program participation pursuant to this section. A vendor receiving such notification from the department shall have not more than thirty days after the date of notification to reapply for continued participation in the program. A vendor who reapplies for program participation pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be notified in writing of the department's decision on the application for reinstatement not later than sixty days following the date of submission of the completed application.

(b) Any applicant who initially seeks to participate as a vendor in the program and any authorized vendor currently participating in the program who reapplies for continued participation in the program and thereafter receives written notification from the department of a deficiency in such application shall be afforded fifteen days from the date of such notification by the department to cure such deficiency and file a completed application. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to vendors who reapply for program participation pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.

(c) The department shall not deny an application from a vendor who initially seeks to participate in the program or an authorized vendor, who is reapplying for continued participation in the program, on the basis of minimum distance requirements between vendors in the geographic area for which the application or reapplication is made.

(d) On and after June 12, 2008, if the Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture conducts a comprehensive programmatic audit of the department's administration of the federal Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children and thereafter provides written notification to the department that the department's administration of the program is not in compliance with federal law and that the state may be subjected to financial penalties due to such noncompliance, the department shall take such action as the department deems necessary to ensure compliance with federal law, including suspension of the requirements prescribed in subsections (a), (b) and (c) of this section.

(e) Not later than January 1, 2009, the Department of Public Health shall submit to the Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture a revised state plan concerning administration of the program that addresses all requirements prescribed in federal law and incorporates the vendor selection, notification and disqualification provisions set forth in this section.

(f) Implementation of the provisions of this section shall be within available appropriations.

(P.A. 08-184, S. 60.)

History: P.A. 08-184 effective June 12, 2008.