STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 873 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN SENATE (Prefiled) January 8, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. BAILEY -- 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 establishing a healthy savings pilot program The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Article 2 of the public health law is amended by adding a 2 new title 9 to read as follows: 3 TITLE IX 4 HEALTHY SAVINGS PILOT PROGRAM 5 Section 269-c. Healthy savings pilot program. 6 § 269-c. Healthy savings pilot program. 1. There shall be established 7 in the department, by the commissioner, a healthy savings pilot program 8 designed to reduce food insecurity and health inequity through the use 9 of discounts on healthier food choices at grocery stores and supermar- 10 kets. 11 2. The department shall, through its own means or by partnering with a 12 company which implements healthy savings initiatives, create a pilot 13 program which meets the following specifications: 14 (a) at least one million people shall have access to the program 15 across the state; 16 (b) the program shall have a companion phone application and website 17 for showing which healthy food items are being offered at a discount at 18 that time and where they can be purchased; 19 (c) discount cards shall be issued to those who apply for the program 20 which facilitate the purchase of healthy food items at a discount; 21 (d) discounts in participating grocery stores and supermarkets shall 22 be on at least the healthiest quarter of items sold in such location as 23 determined by the commissioner; and EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD02056-01-5

S. 873 2 1 (e) the program shall be implemented in sections of three cities where 2 food insecurity and health inequity are a health issue. 3 3. The department shall pursue available funding and cost reduction 4 options and make efforts to establish a public-private partnership with 5 grocery stores, supermarkets, and organizations that promote healthy 6 food choices. 7 4. The department shall be responsible for monitoring the quality, 8 appropriateness and effectiveness of the program and shall report to the 9 legislature within one year of the effective date of this section, and 10 on January first of each year thereafter, on the program's effective- 11 ness. 12 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

Establishes a healthy savings pilot program

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