Increases certain penalties for violating the prohibition of animal fighting and for aggravated cruelty to animals; requires a psychiatric evaluation for defendants convicted of aggravated cruelty to animals.
Prohibits a person convicted of "Buster's Law" from owning or possessing a companion animal unless authorized by court order, after appropriate psychiatric or psychological testing.
Relates to false or misleading advertisements of food and food products; provides factors to determine whether an advertisement is false or misleading; provides for enforcement and a private right of action.
Enacts "Kirby and Quigley's Law"; expands the definition of aggravated cruelty to animals to include harm to a companion animal during the commission of a felony.
Establishes a farm-to-school task force; directs the commissioner of education to develop a program to require all public schools to provide fresh foods to students in a manner that supports local agriculture and increases market opportunities for farmers from under-represented communities.
Establishes in the department of agriculture and markets a program to purchase fresh produce from farms located in the state and distribute such produce to areas determined by the commissioner of agriculture and markets to be food deserts; promotes opportunities for farm ownership among under-represented farmers, including farmers who are black, indigenous, or people of color.
Requires the department of agriculture and markets to facilitate and expand an initiative to promote opportunities for farm ownership to farmers who are black, indigenous and people of color; requires the department to submit an annual report to the governor and the legislature regarding such initiative.
Requires the department of agriculture and markets to promote participation in Nourish New York, including financial and technical support, for black, indigenous and people of color site controlled farms.