STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 7459 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY March 28, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. COOK, GLICK, SAYEGH, TAYLOR, SIMON, WILLIAMS, BICHOTTE HERMELYN, BORES -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COLTON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to creating a food security, empowerment and economic development program The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Legislative intent. The legislature finds there is a need 2 for community economic development to improve the food system in areas 3 where there is an inadequate food supply and many residents who rely on 4 fluctuating government and private food assistance. There is a need to 5 develop food resources and businesses in these communities that provide 6 higher quality, more accessible food. The legislature also finds that 7 local farmers and food producers can and should benefit from these 8 efforts. 9 The legislature further finds that as the federal government and New 10 York state attempt to reduce dependency on government, there is a need 11 to support families leaving public assistance for work. One approach to 12 increasing work opportunities and addressing the food needs in these 13 communities is through the development of "community food security", 14 which is defined as people successfully obtaining an acceptable, nutri- 15 tious diet using local non-emergency sources. 16 Community food security projects are designed to meet the food needs 17 of low income people, increase the self-reliance of communities in 18 providing for their own food needs, and promote comprehensive responses 19 to local food, farm and nutrition issues. For example, these projects 20 provide training in urban gardening and sales, assist entrepreneurs 21 starting micro-enterprises, support farmers' markets in distressed 22 neighborhoods and provide food-based educational opportunities for 23 schools. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD09345-01-5
A. 7459 2 1 The legislature supports the goals of self-reliance, community-based 2 economic development, profitable local agriculture, improved nutrition 3 and helping families and individuals help themselves. Therefore, the 4 legislature finds that the creation of a community food security program 5 for New York state will benefit struggling working families and their 6 communities, provide new markets for family farmers, create food-based 7 jobs and small businesses, and ensure healthier citizens and neighbor- 8 hoods. 9 § 2. The public health law is amended by adding a new article 27-FF to 10 read as follows: 11 ARTICLE 27-FF 12 COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY, 13 EMPOWERMENT AND 14 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM 15 Section 2790. Community food security, empowerment and economic develop- 16 ment program. 17 2791. Grants to organizations. 18 2792. Advisory council. 19 § 2790. Community food security, empowerment and economic development 20 program. The community food security, empowerment and economic develop- 21 ment program is established within the department. Such program is 22 established to support the development of community food projects 23 designed to meet the food needs of low-income people, increase the self- 24 reliance of communities in providing for their own food needs and 25 promote comprehensive responses to local food, farm and nutrition 26 issues. These projects will attempt to: increase the availability, in 27 the targeted communities, of culturally acceptable, affordable, nutri- 28 tionally adequate food, from local sources whenever possible; develop 29 linkages between local farmers and communities served by the project; 30 support job development and job training, including work experience 31 required by welfare reform; support the development of entrepreneurial 32 enterprises; promote good nutrition; encourage long-term planning and 33 multi-agency involvement in the project; and, include community resi- 34 dents in decision-making. 35 § 2791. Grants to organizations. The commissioner shall make grants 36 for program projects, subject to the availability of funding, to commu- 37 nity-based nonprofit organizations and local governments. In order to 38 meet the goals of the program, applicants may create partnerships with 39 other entities, including limited participation by for-profit enter- 40 prises. 41 Preference for these grants shall be given to projects located in 42 communities with a significant percentage of the population participat- 43 ing in government and private food assistance programs. 44 Projects funded by these grants shall be designed to become self-sus- 45 taining, not dependent on continual grants from this program. 46 § 2792. Advisory council. An advisory council shall be established to 47 assist the commissioner in the development of the grant program and in 48 reviewing applications for such grants. The council shall be composed of 49 twelve members with expertise in community food security. Six members 50 shall be appointed by the governor, two members shall be appointed by 51 the temporary president of the senate, two members shall be appointed by 52 the speaker of the assembly, one member shall be appointed by the minor- 53 ity leader of the senate and one member shall be appointed by the minor- 54 ity leader of the assembly. These members shall serve at the will of the 55 appointing authority. The commissioners of the office of temporary and
A. 7459 3 1 disability assistance, agriculture and markets and economic development 2 or their designees shall also participate in the advisory council. 3 § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed- 4 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.