EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0009*
HOUSE BILL 9
E4 5lr1371
(PRE–FILED) CF 5lr1372
By: Delegate Charkoudian
Requested: October 25, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Safety – Food System Resiliency Council – Definitions and Reports 2
FOR the purpose of defining “healthy food priority areas” and “wasted food” as they relate 3
to the Food System Resiliency Council; repealing certain outdated reporting 4
requirements and altering certain ongoing reporting requirements; and generally 5
relating to the Food System Resiliency Council. 6
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – Public Safety 8
Section 14–1101 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 11
(As enacted by Chapter 49 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2023) 12
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 13
Article – Public Safety 14
Section 14–1102(a) 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 17
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 18
Article – Public Safety 19
Section 14–1103 20
Annotated Code of Maryland 21
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 22
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 23
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 24
Article – Public Safety 25 2 HOUSE BILL 9
14–1101. 1
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 2
(b) “Council” means the Maryland Food System Resiliency Council. 3
(c) “Food council organization” means a local food council organization that is 4
established in the State. 5
(d) “HEALTHY FOOD PRIORITY AREAS” MEANS PREDOMINANTLY 6
LOWER–INCOME AREAS THAT HAVE LIMITED ACCESS TO RE TAIL OUTLETS THAT 7
SELL AFFORDABLE , HEALTHY FOODS. 8
(E) “Secretary” means the Secretary of Emergency Management. 9
(F) “WASTED FOOD” MEANS FOOD NOT USED FOR IT S INTENDED PURPOSE 10
THAT IS MANAGED IN A VARI ETY OF WAYS, INCLUDING: 11
(1) DONATIONS TO FEED PEO PLE; 12
(2) THE CREATION OF ANIMA L FEED; 13
(3) COMPOSTIN G; 14
(4) ANAEROBIC DIGESTION ; OR 15
(5) DISPOSAL IN LANDFILLS OR COMBUSTION FACILITIES. 16
14–1102. 17
(a) There is a Maryland Food System Resiliency Council in the Office of Resilience 18
in the Department. 19
14–1103. 20
(a) The Council shall: 21
(1) meet regularly for a period of at least 2 years to address food insecurity 22
in the State; and 23
(2) work toward the following goals: 24
(i) to address the food insecurity crisis in the State resulting from 25
the COVID–19 pandemic and resulting economic crisis by: 26
HOUSE BILL 9 3
1. coordinating State and local level food insecurity services 1
to support residents of the State; 2
2. tracking and analyzing data to create a comprehensive 3
map of food insecurity across the State and identify the gaps in service; 4
3. leveraging federal and private sector grants and other 5
resources in order to address food insecurity needs; 6
4. advising the State on how best to allocate resources and 7
increase efficiency; and 8
5. A. exploring the role of and potential for the federal 9
Community Eligibility Provision to ensure all students in the State are fed; and 10
B. making recommendations to the Maryland State 11
Department of Education and the Maryland General Assembly to implement rel evant 12
findings under item A of this item; 13
(ii) to develop[, on or before November 1, 2021,] equity and 14
sustainability policy recommendations to increase the long–term resiliency of the food 15
system, including: 16
1. addressing and eliminating racial inequities in the food 17
system; 18
2. addressing and eliminating diet–related public health 19
disparities; 20
3. addressing and eliminating [food deserts] LIMITED FOOD 21
OPTIONS AND FOOD SCARCITY THAT EXIST IN HEALTHY FOOD PRIORIT Y AREAS; and 22
4. reducing WASTED food [waste], increasing recycling, and 23
encouraging other relevant environmental impacts; 24
(iii) to expand the impact of existing food council organizations by: 25
1. providing coordination and facilitation of knowledge 26
exchange at the State level; and 27
2. supporting identification and application of grants to 28
operating funds to support existing and new food council organizations as needed; and 29
(iv) to develop[, on or before November 1, 2021, ] AND 30
PERIODICALLY UPDATE a strategic plan to increase the production and procurement of 31
Maryland certified food, including: 32 4 HOUSE BILL 9
1. increasing the quality and quantity of production, as well 1
as aggregation, marketing, and distribution of local food in urban, suburban, and rural 2
settings; 3
2. increasing procurement of local food through schools, 4
universities, and other institutions; 5
3. creating additional market opportunities for Maryland 6
food businesses; and 7
4. expanding access to small scale manufacturing and food 8
production infrastructure. 9
(b) To advance the goals of the Council, the Council shall engage and collaborate 10
with interested stakeholders, including: 11
(1) residents of the State with lived experience of food insecurity; and 12
(2) food council organizations and similar local level food system convening 13
organizations. 14
(c) [(1) On or before November 1, 2021, the Council shall submit an interim 15
report to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government 16
Article, on key findings and activities undertaken by the Council. 17
(2) On or before November 1, 2022 the Council shall submit a report to the 18
General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, on the 19
Council’s recommendations for a long term structure for a statewide food policy council 20
including providing recommendations on: 21
(i) appropriate policy and legislative changes; 22
(ii) potential ways to restructure the Council such as: 23
1. placing the Council within a different agency or 24
organization; and 25
2. enacting a sunset provision for the Council; and 26
(iii) any other recommendations of the Council. 27
(3)] On or before November 1, 2023, and each year thereafter, the Council 28
shall submit a report to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State 29
Government Article, on key findings, APPROPRIATE POLICY A ND LEGISLATIVE 30
CHANGES, and activities undertaken by the Council. 31
HOUSE BILL 9 5
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 1
October 1, 2025. 2