S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  4001

                       2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 30, 2013
                               ___________

Introduced by M. of A. COOK, ORTIZ, ROBINSON -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M.
  of A. BOYLAND, COLTON, GOTTFRIED, JACOBS, MARKEY, RIVERA, SCARBOROUGH,
  TITONE -- read once and referred 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:

  Section  1.  Legislative intent. The legislature finds there is a need
for community economic development to improve the food system  in  areas
where  there is an inadequate food supply and many residents who rely on
fluctuating government and private food assistance. There is a  need  to
develop  food resources and businesses in these communities that provide
higher quality, more accessible food. The legislature  also  finds  that
local  farmers  and  food  producers  can  and should benefit from these
efforts.
  The legislature further finds that as the federal government  and  New
York  state  attempt to reduce dependency on government, there is a need
to support families leaving public assistance for work. One approach  to
increasing  work  opportunities  and  addressing the food needs in these
communities is through the development  of  "community  food  security",
which  is defined as people successfully obtaining an acceptable, nutri-
tious diet using local non-emergency sources.
  Community food security projects are designed to meet the  food  needs
of  low  income  people,  increase  the  self-reliance of communities in
providing for their own food needs, and promote comprehensive  responses
to  local  food,  farm and nutrition issues. For example, these projects
provide training in urban  gardening  and  sales,  assist  entrepreneurs
starting  micro-enterprises,  support  farmers'  markets  in  distressed
neighborhoods  and  provide  food-based  educational  opportunities  for
schools.
  The  legislature  supports the goals of self-reliance, community-based
economic development, profitable local agriculture,  improved  nutrition
and  helping  families  and  individuals help themselves. Therefore, the
legislature finds that the creation of a community food security program

              

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD06589-01-3

A. 4001                             2

for New York state will benefit struggling working  families  and  their
communities,  provide  new markets for family farmers, create food-based
jobs and small businesses, and ensure healthier citizens  and  neighbor-
hoods.
  S 2. The public health law is amended by adding a new article 27-FF to
read as follows:
                              ARTICLE 27-FF
                        COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY,
                             EMPOWERMENT AND
                      ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
SECTION 2790. COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY, EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOP-
                MENT PROGRAM.
        2791. GRANTS TO ORGANIZATIONS.
        2792. ADVISORY COUNCIL.
  S  2790. COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY, EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM.  THE COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY, EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOP-
MENT PROGRAM IS ESTABLISHED  WITHIN  THE  DEPARTMENT.  SUCH  PROGRAM  IS
ESTABLISHED  TO  SUPPORT  THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  COMMUNITY  FOOD PROJECTS
DESIGNED TO MEET THE FOOD  NEEDS  OF  LOW-INCOME  PEOPLE,  INCREASE  THE
SELF-RELIANCE  OF  COMMUNITIES IN PROVIDING FOR THEIR OWN FOOD NEEDS AND
PROMOTE COMPREHENSIVE  RESPONSES  TO  LOCAL  FOOD,  FARM  AND  NUTRITION
ISSUES.  THESE  PROJECTS  WILL ATTEMPT TO: INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY, IN
THE TARGETED COMMUNITIES, OF CULTURALLY ACCEPTABLE,  AFFORDABLE,  NUTRI-
TIONALLY  ADEQUATE  FOOD,  FROM LOCAL SOURCES WHENEVER POSSIBLE; DEVELOP
LINKAGES BETWEEN LOCAL FARMERS AND COMMUNITIES SERVED  BY  THE  PROJECT;
SUPPORT  JOB  DEVELOPMENT  AND  JOB  TRAINING, INCLUDING WORK EXPERIENCE
REQUIRED BY WELFARE REFORM; SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT  OF  ENTREPRENEURIAL
ENTERPRISES;  PROMOTE  GOOD  NUTRITION; ENCOURAGE LONG-TERM PLANNING AND
MULTI-AGENCY INVOLVEMENT IN THE PROJECT; AND,  INCLUDE  COMMUNITY  RESI-
DENTS IN DECISION-MAKING.
  S  2791.  GRANTS  TO ORGANIZATIONS. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL MAKE GRANTS
FOR PROGRAM PROJECTS, SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDING, TO  COMMU-
NITY-BASED  NONPROFIT  ORGANIZATIONS  AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. IN ORDER TO
MEET THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM, APPLICANTS MAY CREATE  PARTNERSHIPS  WITH
OTHER  ENTITIES,  INCLUDING  LIMITED  PARTICIPATION BY FOR-PROFIT ENTER-
PRISES.
  PREFERENCE FOR THESE GRANTS SHALL BE  GIVEN  TO  PROJECTS  LOCATED  IN
COMMUNITIES  WITH A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION PARTICIPAT-
ING IN GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.
  PROJECTS FUNDED BY THESE GRANTS SHALL BE DESIGNED TO BECOME  SELF-SUS-
TAINING, NOT DEPENDENT ON CONTINUAL GRANTS FROM THIS PROGRAM.
  S  2792. ADVISORY COUNCIL. AN ADVISORY COUNCIL SHALL BE ESTABLISHED TO
ASSIST THE COMMISSIONER IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE GRANT PROGRAM  AND  IN
REVIEWING APPLICATIONS FOR SUCH GRANTS. THE COUNCIL SHALL BE COMPOSED OF
TWELVE  MEMBERS  WITH EXPERTISE IN COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY.  SIX MEMBERS
SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR, TWO MEMBERS SHALL  BE  APPOINTED  BY
THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, TWO MEMBERS SHALL BE APPOINTED BY
THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, ONE MEMBER SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE MINOR-
ITY LEADER OF THE SENATE AND ONE MEMBER SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE MINOR-
ITY LEADER OF THE ASSEMBLY. THESE MEMBERS SHALL SERVE AT THE WILL OF THE
APPOINTING  AUTHORITY.  THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND
DISABILITY ASSISTANCE, AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS AND ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT
OR THEIR DESIGNEES SHALL ALSO PARTICIPATE IN THE ADVISORY COUNCIL.
  S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.