Bill Text: NY S05309 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Authorizes the department of health to implement a community food security, empowerment and economic development program (SEED) to help meet the food needs of low-income people and promote comprehensive responses to local food, farm and nutrition issues; provides grants for the cost of program projects which will be available to non-profit organizations and local governments, with limited partnership with for-profit enterprises; makes related provisions.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - REFERRED TO HEALTH [S05309 Detail]
Download: New_York-2019-S05309-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 5309 2019-2020 Regular Sessions IN SENATE April 24, 2019 ___________ Introduced by Sen. COMRIE -- 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 creating a food security, empowerment and economic development program The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Legislative intent. The legislature finds there is a need 2 for community economic development to improve the food system in areas 3 where there is an inadequate food supply and many residents who rely on 4 fluctuating government and private food assistance. There is a need to 5 develop food resources and businesses in these communities that provide 6 higher quality, more accessible food. The legislature also finds that 7 local farmers and food producers can and should benefit from these 8 efforts. 9 The legislature further finds that as the federal government and New 10 York state attempt to reduce dependency on government, there is a need 11 to support families leaving public assistance for work. One approach to 12 increasing work opportunities and addressing the food needs in these 13 communities is through the development of "community food security", 14 which is defined as people successfully obtaining an acceptable, nutri- 15 tious diet using local non-emergency sources. 16 Community food security projects are designed to meet the food needs 17 of low income people, increase the self-reliance of communities in 18 providing for their own food needs, and promote comprehensive responses 19 to local food, farm and nutrition issues. For example, these projects 20 provide training in urban gardening and sales, assist entrepreneurs 21 starting micro-enterprises, support farmers' markets in distressed 22 neighborhoods and provide food-based educational opportunities for 23 schools. 24 The legislature supports the goals of self-reliance, community-based 25 economic development, profitable local agriculture, improved nutrition 26 and helping families and individuals help themselves. Therefore, the 27 legislature finds that the creation of a community food security program 28 for New York state will benefit struggling working families and their EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD07994-02-9S. 5309 2 1 communities, provide new markets for family farmers, create food-based 2 jobs and small businesses, and ensure healthier citizens and neighbor- 3 hoods. 4 § 2. The public health law is amended by adding a new article 27-FF to 5 read as follows: 6 ARTICLE 27-FF 7 COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY, 8 EMPOWERMENT AND 9 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM 10 Section 2790. Community food security, empowerment and economic develop- 11 ment program. 12 2791. Grants to organizations. 13 2792. Advisory council. 14 § 2790. Community food security, empowerment and economic development 15 program. The community food security, empowerment and economic develop- 16 ment program is established within the department. Such program is 17 established to support the development of community food projects 18 designed to meet the food needs of low-income people, increase the self- 19 reliance of communities in providing for their own food needs and 20 promote comprehensive responses to local food, farm and nutrition 21 issues. These projects will attempt to: increase the availability, in 22 the targeted communities, of culturally acceptable, affordable, nutri- 23 tionally adequate food, from local sources whenever possible; develop 24 linkages between local farmers and communities served by the project; 25 support job development and job training, including work experience 26 required by welfare reform; support the development of entrepreneurial 27 enterprises; promote good nutrition; encourage long-term planning and 28 multi-agency involvement in the project; and, include community resi- 29 dents in decision-making. 30 § 2791. Grants to organizations. The commissioner shall make grants 31 for program projects, subject to the availability of funding, to commu- 32 nity-based nonprofit organizations and local governments. In order to 33 meet the goals of the program, applicants may create partnerships with 34 other entities, including limited participation by for-profit enter- 35 prises. 36 Preference for these grants shall be given to projects located in 37 communities with a significant percentage of the population participat- 38 ing in government and private food assistance programs. 39 Projects funded by these grants shall be designed to become self-sus- 40 taining, not dependent on continual grants from this program. 41 § 2792. Advisory council. An advisory council shall be established to 42 assist the commissioner in the development of the grant program and in 43 reviewing applications for such grants. The council shall be composed of 44 twelve members with expertise in community food security. Six members 45 shall be appointed by the governor, two members shall be appointed by 46 the temporary president of the senate, two members shall be appointed by 47 the speaker of the assembly, one member shall be appointed by the minor- 48 ity leader of the senate and one member shall be appointed by the minor- 49 ity leader of the assembly. These members shall serve at the will of the 50 appointing authority. The commissioners of the office of temporary and 51 disability assistance, agriculture and markets and economic development 52 or their designees shall also participate in the advisory council. 53 § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed- 54 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.
