(a) The Georgia State Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is established to provide grants to regional food banks within this state for the purchase, transportation, storage, and distribution of food to emergency food providers and program participants. Such grants shall be made from funds available to the department for such purpose. Grants made pursuant to the program shall be used only for the purchase of food or agricultural commodities from Georgia based purveyors or producers for repacking or processing, or both, of food for distribution to emergency food providers and program participants.

(b) The program shall be administered by the department and all administrative costs shall be reimbursed to the department from the funds described in subsection (a) of this Code section.

(c) All food purchases made through the use of program funds shall be made in accordance with the following standards:

(1) All food shall be procured from Georgia based sources;

(2) Food shall be purchased at wholesale, competitive bid prices or better; and

(3) Food purchased with funds through the program shall not duplicate food available through the federal commodities program of the United States Department of Agriculture.

(d) Not more than 7 percent of the grant funds made available through the program shall be used by any regional food bank for the payment of administrative and incidental costs.

(e) The department shall contract with regional food banks for the operation of the program. The department, in conjunction with regional food banks, is authorized to take appropriate actions, including the entry of subcontracts, to ensure uniform access to the program by needy residents of this state. The department may allow a state nutrition information organization to provide free nutrition education as part of the program to residents of this state.

(f) The department shall, by rule or regulation, establish and enforce procedures and guidelines for the determination of eligibility for participation in the program. Such rules, regulations, and procedures shall not limit or affect the established guidelines used by emergency food providers for any of their programs for which no funds are provided through the program established pursuant to this chapter. No person who is eligible for food funded by the program shall be charged for food or encouraged to contribute money in order to receive food under the program.