Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed HB.3343 into law a few weeks ago thereby creating a Restaurant Meals Program as part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The program will allow a select group of SNAP recipients (over 60 years of age, people with disabilities and homeless people who use food stamps) to use their monthly allowance to purchase meals from restaurants. Previously, SNAP recipients in Illinois could only use the federal assistance benefits to purchase food at grocery stores or farmer’s markets within the state of Illinois. The new law took effect immediately upon the Governor’s signature and requires the Illinois Department of Human Services to finalize the Restaurant Meals Program and have it operational no later than January 1, 2020.