NY State Senate Bill 2023-S2741

Senate Bill S2741

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Relates to the implementation of a food security, empowerment and economic development program

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 03, 2024	referred to health
Jan 24, 2023	referred to health

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2023-S2741 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A5968
Current Committee:: Senate Health
Law Section:: Public Health Law
Laws Affected:: Add Art 27-FF §§2790 - 2792, Pub Health L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2009-2010: A6598
2011-2012: A6770
2013-2014: A4001
2015-2016: A3086
2017-2018: A3442
2019-2020: S5309, A3317
2021-2022: S5732, A4526

2023-S2741 (ACTIVE) - Summary

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.

2023-S2741 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S2741

SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to creating a food
security, empowerment and economic development program

 
PURPOSE OF BILL:

Develop demonstration projects to increase the self sufficiency of low-
income communities in providing for their food needs.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Adds a new Article 27-FE to the Public Health Law creating the Community
Food Security, Empowerment and Economic Development (SEED) Program. This
program will support projects designed to: increase the availability of
culturally acceptable, affordable, nutritionally adequate food, from
local sources 'whenever possible; develop linkages between local farmers
and communities served by the projects; support job development and
training; support entrepreneurship; and encourage community collab-

oration and decision mating in the development of projects. Projects
will be designed to become self-sustaining.

An advisory council, composed of twelve members with expertise in commu-
nity food security, shall assist the commissioner in the development of
the programs and review of grant applications. Six members shall be
appointed by the Governor, two by the Speaker of the Assembly, two by
the Temporary President of the Senate, one by the Minority Leader of the
Senate and one by the Minority Leader of the Assembly.

 
EFFECTS OF PRESENT LAW WHICH THIS BILL WOULD ALTER:

None.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Many low-income neighborhoods in the State lack food. stores with
affordable, nutritious food. There is a need to develop food resources
and businesses in these communities that provide higher quality, more
accessible food. At the same time many New York farmers, struggling to
remain profitable, are looting to expand their sales into near by
markets.

Residents in distressed communities often rely on government food
assistance which is being cut back. Those who lack adequate income and
use up government assistance turn to emergency food providers who have
also experienced cutbacks in donations of food. As the Federal Govern-
ment 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 successfullyòobtaining an accepta-
ble, nutritious 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-enter-
prises, support farmers' markets in distressed neighborhoods and provide
food-based educational opportunities for schools. This bill supports the
goals of self-reliance, community-based economic development, profitable
local agriculture, improved nutrition and he lping families and individ-
uals help themselves, 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.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2022: S5732

Previously introduced - A.3442/2018

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

Subject to the availability of funding.

 
REGULATION IMPACT:

Health Department regulations may be needed to specify the requirements
for grant applications.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This at shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the
date on which it shall have become law.

2023-S2741 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2741
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 24, 2023
                                ___________
 
 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:
 
   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
 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.
                                                            LBD04399-01-3
 S. 2741                             2
 
 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
 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.

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Senate Bill S2741

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Sponsored By

Leroy Comrie