Connecticut 2025 Regular Session

Connecticut House Bill HB07013 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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3		-	LCO 1 of 6
	3	+	LCO No. 5088 1 of 6
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5		-	General Assembly ~~Substitute~~ Bill No. 7013
	5	+	General Assembly Raised Bill No. 7013
6	6		January Session, 2025
	7	+	LCO No. 5088
7	8
	9	+
	10	+	Referred to Committee on EDUCATION
	11	+
	12	+
	13	+	Introduced by:
	14	+	(ED)
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10	17
11	18
12	19		AN ACT CONCERNING ENHANCEMENTS TO THE LOCAL FOOD FOR
13	20		SCHOOLS INCENTIVE PROGRAM AND THE CT GROWN FOR CT
14	21		KIDS GRANT PROGRAM.
15	22		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
16	23		Assembly convened:
17	24
18	25		Section 1. Section 10-215m of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
19	26		following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 2
20	27		(a) As used in this section: 3
21	28		(1) "Local farm" means a farm, farmers' cooperative, food hub or 4
22	29		wholesale distributor located in Connecticut. 5
23	30		(2) "Regional farm" means a farm, farmers' cooperative, food hub or 6
24	31		wholesale distributor located in New York, Massachusetts, Rhode 7
25	32		Island, Vermont, New Hampshire or Maine. 8
26	33		(3) "Locally sourced food" means produce and other farm products 9
27	34		that have a traceable point of origin within Connecticut that are grown 10
28	35		or produced at, or sold by, a local farm and includes, but is not limited 11
29	36		to, value-added dairy, fish, pork, beef, poultry, eggs, fruits, vegetables 12
	37	+	Raised Bill No. 7013
	38	+
	39	+
	40	+
	41	+	LCO No. 5088 2 of 6
	42	+
30	43		and minimally processed foods. 13
31	44		(4) "Regionally sourced food" means produce and other farm 14
32		-	products that have a traceable point of origin within New York, 15 Substitute Bill No. 7013
33		-
34		-
35		-	LCO 2 of 6
36		-
	45	+	products that have a traceable point of origin within New York, 15
37	46		Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire or Maine that 16
38	47		are grown or produced at, or sold by, a regional farm and includes, but 17
39	48		is not limited to, value-added dairy, fish, pork, beef, poultry, eggs, fruits, 18
40	49		vegetables and minimally processed foods. 19
41	50		(5) ["Eligible board of education"] "Eligible entity" means a local or 20
42	51		regional board of education that is participating in the National School 21
43	52		Lunch Program or a provider of child care services, as described in 22
44	53		section 19a-77. 23
45	54		(6) "Eligible meal program" means a meal program provided by an 24
46	55		eligible [board of education] entity to its children or students or a meal 25
47	56		provided as part of such [board's] entity's participation in the National 26
48	57		School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Seamless Summer 27
49	58		Option, After School Snack Program, Summer Food Service Program or 28
50	59		the Child and Adult Care Food Program administered by the United 29
51	60		States Department of Agriculture, including the At-Risk Afterschool 30
52	61		Meals component of the Child and Adult Care Food Program . 31
53	62		[administered by the United States Department of Agriculture.] 32
54	63		(b) For the fiscal year ending June 30, [2024] 2026, and each fiscal year 33
55	64		thereafter, the Department of [Agriculture] Education, in consultation 34
56	65		with the Department of [Education] Agriculture, shall administer the 35
57	66		local food for schools incentive program. Such program shall provide, 36
58	67		utilizing state and federal funds, reimbursement payments to eligible 37
59	68		[boards of education] entities for the purchase of locally sourced food 38
60		-	and regionally sourced food that [may] shall be used as part of such 39
61		-	[board's] entity's participation in an eligible meal program. An eligible 40
62		-	[board of education] entity shall be entitled to receive reimbursement 41
63		-	payments in accordance with the guidelines developed pursuant to 42
64		-	subsection (e) of this section and in an amount equal to (1) one-half of 43
65		-	such [board's] entity's expenditures for locally sourced foods, and (2) 44
66		-	one-third of such [board's] entity's expenditures for regionally sourced 45
67		-	foods. 46
68		-	(c) (1) The department shall receive requests from eligible [boards of 47 Substitute Bill No. 7013
	69	+	and regionally sourced food that may be used as part of such [board's] 39
	70	+	entity's participation in an eligible meal program. An eligible [board of 40
	71	+	education] entity shall be entitled to receive reimbursement payments 41
	72	+	in accordance with the guidelines developed pursuant to subsection (e) 42
	73	+	of this section and in an amount equal to (1) one-half of such [board's] 43
	74	+	Raised Bill No. 7013
69	75
70	76
71		-	LCO 3 of 6
72	77
73		-	education] entities for reimbursement payments under the program in 48
74		-	a manner similar to how the department receives applications under 49
75		-	section 10-215b. 50
76		-	(2) Each eligible [board of education] entity shall (A) maintain a 51
77		-	record of such [board's] entity's expenditures for all locally sourced food 52
78		-	and regionally sourced food, as well as documentation confirming the 53
79		-	place of origin of such food, as prescribed by the department, and (B) 54
80		-	submit, upon request of the department, such records and 55
81		-	documentation to the department for review. 56
82		-	(d) Any locally sourced food or regionally sourced food for which an 57
83		-	eligible [board of education] entity seeks reimbursement payments 58
84		-	under this section shall comply with the nutrition standards established 59
85		-	by the department pursuant to section 10-215e. 60
86		-	(e) The department shall develop guidelines for the implementation 61
87		-	of the program. Such guidelines shall (1) establish a maximum 62
88		-	reimbursement amount based on total [student] enrollment for each 63
89		-	eligible [board of education] entity, (2) assist eligible [boards of 64
90		-	education] entities in participating in the program, and (3) promote 65
91		-	geographic, social, economic and racial equity, which may include a 66
92		-	preference for [socially disadvantaged farmers, as defined in 7 USC 67
93		-	2279(a), as amended from time to time,] historically underserved 68
94		-	farmers or small farm businesses. 69
95		-	(f) The department shall develop a survey to be distributed annually 70
96		-	to any eligible [board of education] entities that receives reimbursement 71
97		-	payments under this section. Such survey shall be designed to collect 72
98		-	information to assist the department in implementing and improving 73
99		-	the program. 74
100		-	(g) In addition to the reimbursement payments otherwise provided 75
101		-	pursuant to this section, the department [may, within available 76
102		-	appropriations, provide supplemental grants to eligible boards of 77
103		-	education. Such supplemental grant funds may be expended for the 78
104		-	purpose of purchasing kitchen equipment, engaging with school 79 Substitute Bill No. 7013
	78	+	LCO No. 5088 3 of 6
	79	+
	80	+	entity's expenditures for locally sourced foods, and (2) one-third of such 44
	81	+	[board's] entity's expenditures for regionally sourced foods. 45
	82	+	(c) (1) The department shall receive requests from eligible [boards of 46
	83	+	education] entities for reimbursement payments under the program in 47
	84	+	a manner similar to how the department receives applications under 48
	85	+	section 10-215b. 49
	86	+	(2) Each eligible [board of education] entity shall (A) maintain a 50
	87	+	record of such [board's] entity's expenditures for all locally sourced food 51
	88	+	and regionally sourced food, as well as documentation confirming the 52
	89	+	place of origin of such food, as prescribed by the department, and (B) 53
	90	+	submit, upon request of the department, such records and 54
	91	+	documentation to the department for review. 55
	92	+	(d) Any locally sourced food or regionally sourced food for which an 56
	93	+	eligible [board of education] entity seeks reimbursement payments 57
	94	+	under this section shall comply with the nutrition standards established 58
	95	+	by the department pursuant to section 10-215e. 59
	96	+	(e) The department shall develop guidelines for the implementation 60
	97	+	of the program. Such guidelines shall (1) establish a maximum 61
	98	+	reimbursement amount based on total [student] enrollment for each 62
	99	+	eligible [board of education] entity, (2) assist eligible [boards of 63
	100	+	education] entities in participating in the program, and (3) promote 64
	101	+	geographic, social, economic and racial equity, which may include a 65
	102	+	preference for [socially disadvantaged farmers, as defined in 7 USC 66
	103	+	2279(a), as amended from time to time,] historically underserved 67
	104	+	farmers or small farm businesses. 68
	105	+	(f) The department shall develop a survey to be distributed annually 69
	106	+	to any eligible [board of education] entities that receives reimbursement 70
	107	+	payments under this section. Such survey shall be designed to collect 71
	108	+	information to assist the department in implementing and improving 72
	109	+	the program. 73
	110	+	Raised Bill No. 7013
105	111
106	112
107		-	LCO 4 of 6
108	113
109		-	nutrition or farm-to-school consultants or training relating to the 80
110		-	processing, preparation and serving of locally sourced food and 81
111		-	regionally sourced food. In awarding supplemental grants under this 82
112		-	subsection, the department shall give priority to an eligible board of 83
113		-	education for a town designated as an alliance district pursuant to 84
114		-	section 10-262u] shall use at least twenty per cent of the annual 85
115		-	appropriation for the local food for schools incentive program to engage 86
116		-	with external partners to provide supplemental services. Such 87
117		-	supplemental services may include, but need not be limited to, school 88
118		-	nutrition or farm-to-school consultants, technical assistance, outreach, 89
119		-	training or evaluation relating to the core elements of farm-to-school 90
120		-	programming, such as procurement, processing, preparation, serving 91
121		-	and education of locally sourced food and regionally sourced food. 92
122		-	(h) The department may accept gifts, grants and donations, including 93
123		-	in-kind donations, for the administration of the local food for schools 94
124		-	incentive program and to implement the provisions of this section. The 95
125		-	department shall seek and maximize existing federal funding available 96
126		-	for purposes of administering the local food for schools incentive 97
127		-	program. 98
128		-	(i) Any unexpended funds appropriated for purposes of this section 99
129		-	shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal year but shall be available for 100
130		-	expenditure during the next fiscal year. 101
131		-	(j) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, for the fiscal year 102
132		-	ending June 30, [2024] 2026, and each fiscal year thereafter, the amount 103
133		-	of reimbursement payments payable to eligible [boards of education] 104
134		-	entities shall be reduced proportionately if the total of such 105
135		-	reimbursement payments in such year exceeds the amount 106
136		-	appropriated for such reimbursement payments for such year. 107
137		-	(k) Not later than January 1, [2025] 2026, and annually thereafter, the 108
138		-	department shall submit a report on the local food for schools incentive 109
139		-	program to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly 110
140		-	having cognizance of matters relating to education, in accordance with 111 Substitute Bill No. 7013
	114	+	LCO No. 5088 4 of 6
	115	+
	116	+	(g) In addition to the reimbursement payments otherwise provided 74
	117	+	pursuant to this section, the department [may, within available 75
	118	+	appropriations, provide supplemental grants to eligible boards of 76
	119	+	education. Such supplemental grant funds may be expended for the 77
	120	+	purpose of purchasing kitchen equipment, engaging with school 78
	121	+	nutrition or farm-to-school consultants or training relating to the 79
	122	+	processing, preparation and serving of locally sourced food and 80
	123	+	regionally sourced food. In awarding supplemental grants under this 81
	124	+	subsection, the department shall give priority to an eligible board of 82
	125	+	education for a town designated as an alliance district pursuant to 83
	126	+	section 10-262u] shall use at least twenty per cent of the annual 84
	127	+	appropriation for the local food for schools incentive program to engage 85
	128	+	with external partners to provide supplemental services. Such 86
	129	+	supplemental services may include, but need not be limited to, school 87
	130	+	nutrition or farm-to-school consultants, technical assistance, outreach, 88
	131	+	training or evaluation relating to the core elements of farm-to-school 89
	132	+	programming, such as procurement, processing, preparation, serving 90
	133	+	and education of locally sourced food and regionally sourced food. 91
	134	+	(h) The department may accept gifts, grants and donations, including 92
	135	+	in-kind donations, for the administration of the local food for schools 93
	136	+	incentive program and to implement the provisions of this section. The 94
	137	+	department shall seek and maximize existing federal funding available 95
	138	+	for purposes of administering the local food for schools incentive 96
	139	+	program. 97
	140	+	(i) Any unexpended funds appropriated for purposes of this section 98
	141	+	shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal year but shall be available for 99
	142	+	expenditure during the next fiscal year. 100
	143	+	(j) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, for the fiscal year 101
	144	+	ending June 30, [2024] 2026, and each fiscal year thereafter, the amount 102
	145	+	of reimbursement payments payable to eligible [boards of education] 103
	146	+	entities shall be reduced proportionately if the total of such 104
	147	+	reimbursement payments in such year exceeds the amount 105
	148	+	Raised Bill No. 7013
141	149
142	150
143		-	LCO 5 of 6
144	151
145		-	the provisions of section 11-4a. Such report shall include, but need not 112
146		-	be limited to, an accounting of the funds appropriated and received by 113
147		-	the department for the program, descriptions of the reimbursement 114
148		-	payments made under the program and an evaluation of the program. 115
149		-	Sec. 2. (Effective July 1, 2025) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, 116
150		-	the Department of Education shall hire one full-time employee to 117
151		-	administer the local food for schools incentive program described in 118
152		-	section 10-215m of the general statutes, as amended by this act. Such 119
153		-	employee shall be responsible for (1) identifying and promoting the 120
154		-	critical components of individual farm-to-school programs and 121
155		-	advising the Commissioner of Education on strategies to implement the 122
156		-	program, (2) supporting partnerships with public and nonprofit 123
157		-	organizations to establish a structure to facilitate communication 124
158		-	between farmers and school district officials, (3) conducting workshops, 125
159		-	training sessions and technical assistance to school food service 126
160		-	directors, school personnel, farmers, produce distributors and 127
161		-	processors regarding the demand for and availability of Connecticut 128
162		-	farm products, (4) identifying grants, donations and other funding 129
163		-	sources to assist in funding the program, and (5) seeking available 130
164		-	federal funding, including making application to the United States 131
165		-	Department of Agriculture for grants and other federal financial 132
166		-	assistance. 133
167		-	Sec. 3 (Effective July 1, 2025) The sum of one million five hundred 134
168		-	thousand dollars is appropriated to the Department of Education from 135
169		-	the General Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, for (1) 136
170		-	administration of the local food for school incentive program, described 137
171		-	in section 10-215m of the general statutes, as amended by this act, and 138
172		-	(2) the hiring of a full-time employee described in section 2 of this act. 139
173		-	Sec. 4. (Effective July 1, 2025) The sum of one million dollars is 140
174		-	appropriated to the Department of Agriculture from the General Fund, 141
175		-	for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, for administration of the CT 142
176		-	Grown for CT Kids Grant Program described in section 10-215l of the 143
177		-	general statutes. 144 Substitute Bill No. 7013
	152	+	LCO No. 5088 5 of 6
	153	+
	154	+	appropriated for such reimbursement payments for such year. 106
	155	+	(k) Not later than January 1, [2025] 2026, and annually thereafter, the 107
	156	+	department shall submit a report on the local food for schools incentive 108
	157	+	program to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly 109
	158	+	having cognizance of matters relating to education, in accordance with 110
	159	+	the provisions of section 11-4a. Such report shall include, but need not 111
	160	+	be limited to, an accounting of the funds appropriated and received by 112
	161	+	the department for the program, descriptions of the reimbursement 113
	162	+	payments made under the program and an evaluation of the program. 114
	163	+	Sec. 2. (Effective July 1, 2025) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, 115
	164	+	the Department of Education shall hire one full-time employee to 116
	165	+	administer the local food for schools incentive program described in 117
	166	+	section 10-215m of the general statutes, as amended by this act. Such 118
	167	+	employee shall be responsible for (1) identifying and promoting the 119
	168	+	critical components of individual farm-to-school programs and 120
	169	+	advising the Commissioner of Education on strategies to implement the 121
	170	+	program, (2) supporting partnerships with public and nonprofit 122
	171	+	organizations to establish a structure to facilitate communication 123
	172	+	between farmers and school district officials, (3) conducting workshops, 124
	173	+	training sessions and technical assistance to school food service 125
	174	+	directors, school personnel, farmers, produce distributors and 126
	175	+	processors regarding the demand for and availability of Connecticut 127
	176	+	farm products, (4) identifying grants, donations and other funding 128
	177	+	sources to assist in funding the program, and (5) seeking available 129
	178	+	federal funding, including making application to the United States 130
	179	+	Department of Agriculture for grants and other federal financial 131
	180	+	assistance. 132
	181	+	Sec. 3 (Effective July 1, 2025) The sum of one million five hundred 133
	182	+	thousand dollars is appropriated to the Department of Education from 134
	183	+	the General Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, for (1) 135
	184	+	administration of the local food for school incentive program, described 136
	185	+	in section 10-215m of the general statutes, as amended by this act, and 137
	186	+	Raised Bill No. 7013
178	187
179	188
180		-	LCO 6 of 6
181	189
182		-	Sec. 5. (Effective July 1, 2026) The sum of one million dollars is 145
183		-	appropriated to the Department of Agriculture from the General Fund, 146
184		-	for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, for administration of the CT 147
185		-	Grown for CT Kids Grant Program described in section 10-215l of the 148
186		-	general statutes. 149
	190	+	LCO No. 5088 6 of 6
	191	+
	192	+	(2) the hiring of a full-time employee described in section 2 of this act. 138
	193	+	Sec. 4. (Effective July 1, 2025) The sum of one million dollars is 139
	194	+	appropriated to the Department of Agriculture from the General Fund, 140
	195	+	for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, for administration of the CT 141
	196	+	Grown for CT Kids Grant Program described in section 10-215l of the 142
	197	+	general statutes. 143
	198	+	Sec. 5. (Effective July 1, 2026) The sum of one million dollars is 144
	199	+	appropriated to the Department of Agriculture from the General Fund, 145
	200	+	for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, for administration of the CT 146
	201	+	Grown for CT Kids Grant Program described in section 10-215l of the 147
	202	+	general statutes. 148
187	203		This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
188	204		sections:
189	205
190	206		Section 1 July 1, 2025 10-215m
191	207		Sec. 2 July 1, 2025 New section
192	208		Sec. 3 July 1, 2025 New section
193	209		Sec. 4 July 1, 2025 New section
194	210		Sec. 5 July 1, 2026 New section
195	211
196		-	ED Joint Favorable Subst. C/R APP
	212	+	Statement of Purpose:
	213	+	To replace the Department of Agriculture with the Department of
	214	+	Education as the lead agency responsible for administering the local
	215	+	food for schools incentive program, to expand eligibility in such
	216	+	program to include providers of child care services, and to provide
	217	+	support and funding for such program and the CT Grown for CT Kids
	218	+	Grant Program.
	219	+
	220	+	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
	221	+	that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
	222	+	underlined.]
197	223