HB 1703 - AS INTRODUCED
2020 SESSION
20-3103
08/06
HOUSE BILL 1703
AN ACT establishing a working group on food waste.
SPONSORS: Rep. Ebel, Merr. 5; Rep. O'Connor, Rock. 6; Rep. M. Murray, Hills. 22; Rep. Mullen, Hills. 7; Rep. Ticehurst, Carr. 3; Rep. Heath, Hills. 14; Rep. Wolf, Merr. 5; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Chandley, Dist 11
COMMITTEE: Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs
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ANALYSIS
This bill establishes a working group on food waste.
This bill is a request of the study committee on recycling and solid waste, established pursuant to 2019, 265 (HB 617).
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
20-3103
08/06
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty
AN ACT establishing a working group on food waste.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Purpose and Findings. The general court finds that food waste represents a lost opportunity to feed the hungry, is an economic loss to purchasers, occupies needed space in our landfills and generates greenhouse gases as it decomposes. Estimates indicate that approximately 20 percent of the solid waste disposed of is food waste. This working group is being created to review existing regulations and policies to reduce food waste, to promote food recovery, and to identify regulatory hurdles that impede the sharing of food with the hungry.
2 New Subdivision; Food Waste Working Group. Amend RSA 143 by inserting after section 29 the following new subdivision:
Food Waste Working Group
143:30 Food Waste Working Group.
I. The food waste reduction working group shall be convened by the department of health and human services and shall have, at a minimum, the following members:
(a) One member of the house, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
(b) One member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.
(c) A representative of the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association, appointed by that association.
(d) A representative of the New Hampshire Grocers Association, appointed by that association.
(e) A representative of the health department of a New Hampshire city.
(f) A representative of the New Hampshire Food Bank, appointed by that organization.
(g) A representative of the department of education school lunch program.
(h) A representative of the Food Recovery Network, appointed by that organization.
(i) A school nurse or dietician.
(j) The commissioner of the department of agriculture, markets, and foods, or designee.
(k) A representative of the University of New Hampshire Sustainability Institute, appointed by that institute.
(l) A representative of a New Hampshire based food manufacturer.
(m) A representative of the Northeast Resources Recovery Association, appointed by that association.
(n) A representative of the New Hampshire farm to school program, appointed by that program.
(o) A representative of a company that provides food services to schools.
(p) A member representing the public interest, appointed by the governor.
II. Unless otherwise indicated, members shall be appointed by the commissioner of the department of health and human services.
III. The food waste reduction working group shall:
(a) Review state laws, policies, and guidelines and recommend changes that would help to reduce food waste and promote food recovery in New Hampshire.
(b) Review national and regional initiatives to reduce food waste and recommend changes to help to reduce food waste and promote food recovery in New Hampshire.
(c) Review share table regulations and policies and recommend changes that could be adopted to help reduce food waste and promote food recovery in New Hampshire.
(d) Review policies in New Hampshire schools and universities and recommend changes that would help reduce food waste and promote food recovery in New Hampshire.
(e) Review such other matters as the working group deems necessary and recommend related legislative, rule, or policy changes.
IV. The food waste reduction working group shall make a final report of its findings to the speaker of the house of representatives, president of the senate, the governor, the commissioner of the department of health and human services, and commissioner of the department of education by November 1, 2021 and shall file an initial proposal of any rule changes with the office of legislative services by August 30, 2021.
V. The working group shall meet no later than 60 days after the effective date of this section.
3 Repeal. RSA 143:30, relative to the food waste reduction working group, is repealed.
I. Section 3 of this act shall take effect November 1, 2021.
II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.