What's happening
This bill creates a Healthy Savings Pilot Program to provide discounts on healthy foods in grocery stores to reduce food insecurity and health inequity.
Why it matters
Targets both food insecurity and health inequity. by making healthy foods more affordable, with a focus on areas where these issues are most acute—meaning it could address health gaps tied to income and geography, not just general nutrition.
Aims for large-scale impact. by requiring access for at least one million people statewide, suggesting the program could affect a significant portion of New Yorkers, not just a small pilot group.
Emphasizes accessibility and transparency. through a companion phone app and website, helping participants easily find discounted healthy items and participating locations, which could boost actual utilization and empower informed choices.
Requires ongoing oversight and public reporting. , mandating annual effectiveness reviews to the legislature, potentially shaping future statewide policy if the pilot demonstrates improved health outcomes or reduced food insecurity.
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Who cares
Residents facing food insecurity and health inequity
The pilot would offer discount cards for healthier foods in sections of three cities, with access for at least one million people statewide.
Grocery stores and supermarkets
Participating stores would offer discounts on at least the healthiest quarter of their items, as determined by the health commissioner.
- Watching
New York State Department of Health
The department would establish and monitor the pilot, pursue funding and cost reductions, and report to the Legislature on its effectiveness.
Healthy savings companies and healthy food organizations
The department could partner with a healthy savings company to create the pilot and would seek public-private partnerships with organizations promoting healthy food choices.
Headline styles
Discount Healthy Groceries Program
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
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 Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Article 2 of the public health law is amended by adding a new title 9 to read as follows:
TITLE IX
HEALTHY SAVINGS PILOT PROGRAM Section 269-c. Healthy savings pilot program.
§ 269-c. Healthy savings pilot program. 1. There shall be established in the department, by the commissioner, a healthy savings pilot program designed to reduce food insecurity and health inequity through the use of discounts on healthier food choices at grocery stores and supermarkets.
2. The department shall, through its own means or by partnering with a company which implements healthy savings initiatives, create a pilot program which meets the following specifications:
(a) at least one million people shall have access to the program across the state;
(b) the program shall have a companion phone application and website for showing which healthy food items are being offered at a discount at that time and where they can be purchased;
(c) discount cards shall be issued to those who apply for the program which facilitate the purchase of healthy food items at a discount;
(d) discounts in participating grocery stores and supermarkets shall be on at least the healthiest quarter of items sold in such location as determined by the commissioner; and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02056-01-5
(e) the program shall be implemented in sections of three cities where food insecurity and health inequity are a health issue.
3. The department shall pursue available funding and cost reduction options and make efforts to establish a public-private partnership with grocery stores, supermarkets, and organizations that promote healthy food choices.
4. The department shall be responsible for monitoring the quality, appropriateness and effectiveness of the program and shall report to the legislature within one year of the effective date of this section, and on January first of each year thereafter, on the program's effectiveness.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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 establishing a healthy savings pilot program
Purpose or general idea of bill
Americans and New Yorkers are not consuming the minimum number of fruits and vegetables recommended by the USDA due to a variety of factors, including poverty and lack of accessibility.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one of the bill amends article 2 of the public health law by adding a new title to create the Healthy Savings Pilot Program.
Section two sets forth the effective date.
Justification
According to the federal government, only about 10 percent of Americans eat the minimum amount of fruits and vegetables recommended to sustain a healthy lifestyle and minimize the risk of health issues. Healthy Savings was developed by Solutran, a Minneapolis-based technology compa- ny that offers the program in several Midwestern cities through partner- ships with health insurance programs and employers. The program is expanding.
A small pilot was conducted in the Bronx recently, and the New York City's Office of Food Policy has jumped on board to expand the pilot program across the city. This program uses technology to offer consumers discounts on healthy food items, including fresh fruits and vegetables, by using a discount card or an app that gets loaded with the discounts weekly. This bill seeks to run a statewide pilot program.
Prior legislative history
2019-20: Referred to Health
2021-22: Referred to Health
2023-24: Referred to Health
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.