BILL NUMBER: AB 727INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Mitchell FEBRUARY 17, 2011 An act to add Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 12405) to Part 2 of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code, relating to public contracts. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 727, as introduced, Mitchell. Healthy and sustainable food procurement. Existing law governing contracting between state agencies and private contractors sets forth requirements for the procurement of supplies, materials, equipment, and services by state agencies and sets forth the various responsibilities of the Department of General Services and other state agencies in overseeing and implementing state contracting procedures and policies. This bill would require the department to develop nutrition standards to govern the foods purchased for all state departments, agencies, and state-run institutions in accordance with the federal dietary guidelines. This bill would also require the department to develop prescribed guidelines for sustainable purchasing practices and procedures that encourage purchasing from local vendors, farms, and manufacturers when feasible. This bill would authorize the department to consult with the Department of Public Health in developing these standards and guidelines. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 12405) is added to Part 2 of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code, to read: CHAPTER 6.5. HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD PROCUREMENT ACT 12405. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) Access to safe and nutritious foods is essential to a person's health. (b) Hunger, food insecurity, and poor nutrition are critical issues that require immediate and sustained action to be reduced and eliminated. (c) The way that we process, grow, and develop foods and food policy has a short-and-long-term economic and environmental effect on our local communities and the state overall. (d) Sustainable food systems can provide nutritious foods for all people, shorten the distance between food consumers and producers, protect workers' health and welfare, minimize environmental effects, and strengthen connections between urban and rural communities. (e) As one of the leading agricultural states in the nation, California has the potential to serve as a model state promoting procurement policies that reflect the goals of healthy eating, sustainability, and supporting local economies. 12406. (a) The Department of General Services shall develop nutrition standards to govern the foods purchased for all state departments, agencies, and state-run institutions in accordance with the federal dietary guidelines developed by the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Health and Human Services. (b) The Department of General Services shall develop guidelines for sustainable purchasing practices and procedures that encourage purchasing from local vendors, farms, and manufacturers when feasible. The guidelines shall serve as a model for purchasing goods and services in ways that have the least impact on the environment, promote healthy and nutritious foods, and support local economies. (c) For the purposes of this section, the Department of General Services may consult with the State Department of Public Health.