Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S392 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1235 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 392
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Jason M. Lewis
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act relative to food literacy.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Jason M. LewisFifth MiddlesexJoanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and Worcester1/23/2025Sal N. DiDomenicoMiddlesex and Suffolk2/3/2025Jacob R. OliveiraHampden, Hampshire and Worcester2/7/2025Bruce E. TarrFirst Essex and Middlesex2/27/2025 1 of 4
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1235 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 392
18	18	By Mr. Lewis, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 392) of Jason M. Lewis, Joanne M.
19	19	Comerford, Sal N. DiDomenico, Jacob R. Oliveira and others for legislation relative to food
20	20	literacy. Education.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE SENATE, NO. 2588 OF 2023-2024.]
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
26	26	(2025-2026)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act relative to food literacy.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 10 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition,
32	32	2is hereby amended by inserting after section 35SSS the following section:
33	33	3 Section 35TTT. There shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth
34	34	4a separate fund to be known as the Food Literacy Trust Fund. The fund may receive money
35	35	5from: any appropriations authorized by the general court specifically designated to be credited to
36	36	6the fund; gifts, grants and donations from public or private sources; federal reimbursements and
37	37	7grants-in-aid; and any interest earned from the fund. Monies may be expended by the department
38	38	8of elementary and secondary education to encourage and facilitate food literacy programs in
39	39	9school districts, charter schools, approved private day or residential schools, or collaborative
40	40	10schools. 2 of 4
41	41	11 No expenditure from the fund shall cause the fund to be in deficiency at the close of the
42	42	12fiscal year. The fund shall be an expendable trust fund and shall not be subject to appropriation
43	43	13or allotment. The state treasurer shall be the custodian of the fund and shall receive, deposit and
44	44	14invest all money transmitted under this section to ensure the highest interest rate available
45	45	15consistent with the safety of the fund. The books and records of the fund shall be subject to an
46	46	16annual audit by the state auditor. The commissioner of elementary and secondary education shall
47	47	17report annually to the house and senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee
48	48	18on education on income received into the fund and sources of that income, any expenditure from
49	49	19the fund and the purpose of that expenditure and the fund’s balance. Money in the fund at the
50	50	20end of the fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund and shall be available for expenditure
51	51	21in the subsequent year and shall not be subject to section 5C of chapter 29.
52	52	22 SECTION 2. The third paragraph section 1D of chapter 69 of the General Laws, as so
53	53	23appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “consumer skills,” in line 38, the
54	54	24following words:-
55	55	25 “food literacy,”
56	56	26 SECTION 3. Chapter 69 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
57	57	27inserting after section 1T the following section:
58	58	28 Section 1U. (a) Food literacy standards established pursuant to section 1D shall promote
59	59	29an understanding of food systems including, but not limited to: (i) nutrition and the impact of
60	60	30diet on personal health; (ii) culinary skills and menu planning; (iii) food production, including
61	61	31farming, fishing, and processing; (iv) the connections between the food system and the
62	62	32environment; (v) hunger, its causes and efforts to alleviate it; (vi) racial and other inequities in 3 of 4
63	63	33access to food and jobs in the food system; (vii) food justice; (viii) cultural connections to food;
64	64	34(ix) local food producers; and (x) careers in the food system including in the fields of farming,
65	65	35fishing, processing, engineering, transportation, public health, and hunger alleviation.
66	66	36 (b) A school district, charter school, approved private day or residential school or
67	67	37collaborative school may incorporate the food literacy standards established pursuant to section
68	68	381D and subsection (a) into existing curriculum including, but not limited to, mathematics,
69	69	39science, or history and social sciences.
70	70	40 (c) The department shall make resources, including high quality lessons and curricula,
71	71	41available to school districts, charter schools, approved private day or residential schools and
72	72	42collaborative schools to assist in the selection of materials and curriculum on food literacy. The
73	73	43department shall identify and offer information on resources for professional development
74	74	44activities and instruction on food literacy. The department may consult with private or non-profit
75	75	45experts in the fields of nutrition, agriculture, food systems, food security, or other related fields.
76	76	46 (d) The department may expend funds from the Food Literacy Trust Fund established
77	77	47pursuant to section 35TTT of chapter 10, to implement this section.
78	78	48 (e) There shall annually be a review by the department relative to the implementation of
79	79	49food literacy standards, including a study of food literacy programs offered in the commonwealth
80	80	50to students in kindergarten through grade 12. The commissioner shall consult with the office of
81	81	51the state treasurer to, subject to appropriation, convene a working group consisting of educators
82	82	52experienced in teaching curriculum related to food literacy and any individuals or organizations
83	83	53the department deems relevant with expertise in food systems, including, but not limited to,
84	84	54nutrition, farming, fishing, culinary arts, food justice and food career opportunities. The review 4 of 4
85	85	55shall include a report on best practices and recommended improvements to food literacy
86	86	56standards. The report shall be submitted to the clerks of the house of representatives and the
87	87	57senate and the joint committee on education.