What's happening
This bill allows the health commissioner to waive or modify WIC program requirements during a public health emergency, including extending benefits and increasing fruit and vegetable allowances.
Why it matters
Gives the health commissioner flexibility to quickly adjust WIC rules during emergencies. , allowing the program to respond to rapidly changing needs and circumstances for vulnerable families.
Allows families to roll over unused WIC benefits from month to month during a crisis. , which can help reduce food waste, increase access to nutrition, and offer more stability when shopping patterns are disrupted.
Mandates a significant increase (at least 60%) in the fruit and vegetable allowance during public health emergencies. , which directly addresses potential shortages of healthy food options and supports better nutrition for women, infants, and children.
Empowers the commissioner to waive any other WIC requirements as needed. to protect recipients, ensuring that bureaucratic obstacles don’t prevent people from getting essential nutrition during a crisis.
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Who cares
Women, infants and children receiving WIC benefits
During a state of emergency declared because of a public health crisis, the bill would let unused monthly allowances carry over and increase the monthly fresh fruit and vegetable purchase limit by at least 60 percent.
New York State health commissioner
The bill would direct the commissioner to waive those limits and other WIC requirements deemed necessary to protect recipients’ best interests during such an emergency.
Stores selling fresh fruits and vegetables to WIC recipients
The bill would increase the monthly amount recipients could spend on those foods during a qualifying emergency.
Headline styles
Waive WIC Rules in Emergencies
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 14
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to health
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Ease WIC Rules In Emergencies
In Assembly Committee · Health · Sponsor Alicia Hyndman
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8384
IN SENATE
May 21, 2020
Introduced by Sen. COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to directing the commissioner of health to waive certain requirements of the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children during a state of emergency declared as a result of a public health crisis
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 206 of the public health law is amended by adding a new paragraph (w) to read as follows:
(w) during a state of emergency declared as a result of a public health crisis, waive certain requirements of the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children, including, but not limited to:
(i) the requirement that the monthly allowances available under the program expire each month and provide that any unused portions of such allowances may carry over from month to month;
(ii) the current monthly monetary limit for the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables and provide for an increase in the amount of such monetary limit of not less than sixty percent; and
(iii) any other requirements of the program that the commissioner deems necessary to waive in order to protect the best interests of eligible individuals receiving allowances under the program.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD16407-02-0
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to directing the commissioner of health to waive certain requirements of the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children during a state of emergency declared as a result of a public health crisis
Purpose
To ensure that flexibility is built in to certain requirements of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) that will apply during a public health crisis.
Summary of specific provisions
Amends Section 206 of the Public Health Law to provide the Commissioner of Health with the power to add flexibility to the WIC program in the following ways:
(1)Program participants must be able to carry over voucher allotments from month to month, instead of the present practice of monthly expira- tion;
(2)Program participants must be given the flexibility to purchase addi- tional supplies of fresh fruits and vegetables, by increasing the mone- tary limit by at least 60% (to at least $15.00), as supply issues and the lack of affordability due to COVID19 persist;
(3)Any other requirements of the program that the Commissioner decides is in the best interest of beneficiaries.
Justification
The COVID-19 Pandemic has touched every facet of our life, including the very nature of how we shop as consumers and how the supply chain inter- acts with merchants. Many WIC customers have been denied benefits because stores were literally out of a product, charging high process for fruits and vegetables, and with each store having limited hours, long lines, social distancing protocols and restrictions on bringing children to shop with you, many individuals are being denied their WIC benefits at the time when they need them the absolute most. This legis- lation gives the Health Commissioner necessary flexibility to address on the ground issues that persist due to the public health pandemic.
Prior legislative history
New Bill.
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.