Bill Text: NY S02178 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Establishes a healthy savings pilot program within three cities where those in the program can receive discounts on healthier food choices at grocery stores and supermarkets.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - REFERRED TO HEALTH [S02178 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-S02178-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          2178
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
                    IN SENATE
                                    January 23, 2019
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by  Sen.  BAILEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
        AN ACT to amend the public health law, in  relation  to  establishing  a
          healthy savings pilot program
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section 1. Article 2 of the public health law is amended by  adding  a
     2  new title 7 to read as follows:
     3                                  TITLE VII
     4                        HEALTHY SAVINGS PILOT PROGRAM
     5  Section 268. Healthy savings pilot program.
     6    § 268. Healthy savings pilot program. 1. There shall be established in
     7  the  department,  by  the  commissioner, a healthy savings pilot program
     8  designed to reduce food insecurity and health inequity through  the  use
     9  of  discounts  on healthier food choices at grocery stores and supermar-
    10  kets.
    11    2. The department shall, through its own means or by partnering with a
    12  company which implements healthy savings  initiatives,  create  a  pilot
    13  program which meets the following specifications:
    14    (a)  at  least  one  million  people  shall have access to the program
    15  across the program;
    16    (b) the program shall have a companion phone application  and  website
    17  for  showing which healthy food items are being offered at a discount at
    18  that time and where they can be purchased;
    19    (c) discount cards shall be issued to those who apply for the  program
    20  which facilitate the purchase of healthy food items at a discount;
    21    (d)  discounts  in participating grocery stores and supermarkets shall
    22  be on at least the healthiest quarter of items sold in such location  as
    23  determined by the commissioner; and
    24    (e) the program shall be implemented in sections of three cities where
    25  food insecurity and health inequity are a health issue.
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD05633-01-9
        S. 2178                             2
     1    3.  The  department  shall pursue available funding and cost reduction
     2  options and make efforts to establish a public-private partnership  with
     3  grocery  stores,  supermarkets,  and  organizations that promote healthy
     4  food choices.
     5    4.  The  department  shall  be responsible for monitoring the quality,
     6  appropriateness and effectiveness of the program and shall report to the
     7  legislature within one year of the effective date of this  section,  and
     8  each  year  on  January  first of each year thereafter, on the program's
     9  effectiveness.
    10    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.