S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4526
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 4, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. COOK, AUBRY, GLICK, DICKENS, GOTTFRIED, SAYEGH,
   JOYNER, TAYLOR, PICHARDO, SIMON, RODRIGUEZ, WILLIAMS,  BICHOTTE HERME-
   LYN, NIOU -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COLTON, GRIFFIN, J. RIVERA
   -- 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.

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

                                                            LBD07673-01-1

 A. 4526                             2
 
   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
 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.
   § 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.
   § 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.
   §  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.
   §  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

 A. 4526                             3
 
 DISABILITY ASSISTANCE, AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS AND ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT
 OR THEIR DESIGNEES SHALL ALSO PARTICIPATE IN THE ADVISORY COUNCIL.
   §  3. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.