SB 149 Connecticut Senate · 2026 Regular Session

AN ACT CONCERNING REVISIONS TO THE FARMERS' MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAM.

SB 149 updates definitions for Connecticut's Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (CFM/WIC), clarifying terms like "certified farmer" (replacing "vendor") and "Connecticut-grown" produce. It specifies that benefits (replacing "vouchers") can be redeemed for fresh fruits, vegetables, honey, maple syrup, and processed farm products like baked goods made with local ingredients. The bill directly affects certified farmers selling at authorized markets, WIC participants using benefits, and the Department of Agriculture administering the program. These revisions aim to align state operations with federal guidelines while streamlining program rules.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 11, 2026 Last action Mar 19, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Raised Bill → ENV Joint Favorable Substitute · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was renamed from 'Raised Bill' to 'Substitute Bill' and updated to reflect a joint favorable substitute version. The primary substantive change involves redefining the term 'Authorized redemption location' to 'Authorized benefit location' and updating related references to ensure consistency with the program's terminology. Additionally, the definition of 'Certified vendor' was expanded to explicitly require guaranteed payment for accepted benefits.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on the Connecticut Farm-to-Market/WIC program, but the terminology shift from 'redemption location' to 'benefit location' clarifies the nature of the sites where benefits are exchanged.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'Authorized redemption location' was changed to 'Authorized benefit location' to align terminology with the program's focus on distributing benefits rather than just redeeming vouchers.

The definition of 'Certified vendor' was modified to 'Certified farmer' and expanded to include a specific requirement that the individual must be guaranteed payment on all accepted benefits.

References to 'Certified vendor' were updated to 'Certified farmer' throughout the bill to maintain consistency with the new terminology.

References to 'vouchers' were updated to 'benefits' in multiple sections to reflect the modernized program name and terminology.

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Full legislative history

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Key actions

Committee

Mar 4, 2026

Upper · Passed

Joint Favorable Substitute

upper

Feb 11, 2026

Committee

REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Environment

upper

4 primary · 0 co-sponsors