Directs commissioner of education to facilitate a program to coordinate the donation of excess, unused, edible food from school meal programs to voluntary food assistance programs

2 Co-sponsors

• Suzi Oppenheimer
• Diane J. Savino

Title of bill

An act to amend the education law and the public health law, in relation to establishing a program to coordinate the donation of excess food from school meal programs to voluntary food assistance programs

Purpose

To establish a program to coordinate the donation of excess food from school meal programs to voluntary food assistance programs.

Summary of provisions

Directs the commissioner of education to establish a program to coordinate the donation of excess, unused, edible food from school meal programs to voluntary food assistance programs.

Adds a new subdivision 35 to Section 305 of the Education Law.

Adds a new subdivision 23 of the Public health Law.

Justification

The United States Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) has encouraged gleaning programs that collect food that would otherwise be discarded and donate it to voluntary feeding programs such as food pantries and soup kitchens. There are existing efforts to collect food leftovers from food service operations such as restaurants, fundraising dinners, corporate lunchrooms and even airlines. School meal programs are also potential donors. There is funding for food gleaning through the Department of Health's Hunger Prevention Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP) which provides State support for emergency food programs.

Schools are required to carefully plan menus to meet the nutritional needs of children and minimize food waste. However, at times when there is bad weather or high absenteeism or other unusual circumstances there may be significant unserved food that could be used by emergency food programs. Nearly 2 million school lunches and breakfasts are served everyday in New York State.

This bill would have the Commissioners of Education and Health create a school gleaning program that would make effective use of two vital food assistance programs.

Legislative history

2001/02 - A.4089(S.4854 - 2/26/01 referred to Education; 4/4/01 reported referred to ways & means; 6/5/01 reported referred to Rules; 6/8/01 amend, recommit to rules; 6/18/01 passed Assembly, delivered to Senate, referred to rules; 1/9/02 Died in Senate, Returned to Assembly, recommit to Rules; 1/25/02 amend and recommit to rules; 2/25/02 passed Assembly, delivered to Senate, referred to Education; 3/26/02 substituted for S.4854; 6(20/02 Committed to Rules

2003/04 - A.2763A - 1/29/03 referred to Education; 3/4/03 reported referred to ways & means; 1/7/04 referred to education; 3/2/04 reported referred to ways & means; 3/3/04 amend and recommit to ways & means, print number 2763-a; 5/19/04 reported referred to rules; 5/24/04 rules report cal. 668, ordered to third reading rules cal. 668, passed Assembly delivered to Senate, Referred to rules

2005/06 - A.6680 - Refereed to education 2007/08 - A.5334 - Referred to education

Fiscal implications

No additional fiscal impact.

Effective date

Immediately.