Bill Text: NJ S3867 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Revises law establishing Office of Food Security Advocate, and establishes certain conditions for use of monies appropriated to emergency food organizations.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2024-01-08 - Substituted by A5462 (1R) [S3867 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-S3867-Amended.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH F. VITALE
District 19 (Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Revises law establishing Office of Food Security Advocate, and establishes certain conditions for use of monies appropriated to emergency food organizations.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee on June 15, 2023, with amendments.
An Act concerning food security and amending and supplementing P.L.2021, c.242.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 2 of P.L.2021, c.242 (C.52:27J-2) is amended to read as follows:
2. As used in [this act] P.L.2021, c.242 (C.52:27J-1 et seq.):
"Emergency food organization" means a food bank which receives funding for Food and Hunger Programs pursuant to an annual State appropriations act.
"Food insecurity program" means a nutrition program in this State that provides nutrition assistance to individuals without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food and includes, but is not limited to, the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children, the Commodity Supplemental Food program, the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, the Child and Adult Care Program, and the United States Department of Agriculture's school nutrition program.
(cf: P.L.2021, c.242, s.2)
2. (New section) a. Notwithstanding any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, of the monies appropriated to emergency food organizations pursuant to an annual appropriations act:
(1) 10 percent of each emergency food organization's funding allocation shall be expended on New Jersey agricultural products, and may include expenditures related to agricultural capital investment and innovation; 1[and]1
(2) up to 1[20] 301 percent of each emergency food organization's funding allocation may be used for administrative and staffing costs and the purchase of capital investments or infrastructure, including for the purchase of necessary technology, vehicles, and storage requirements including refrigeration or dry space1; and
(3) no less than 60 percent of each emergency food organization's State funding allocation shall be used to support local distribution agencies. Support for local distribution agencies includes the purchasing of food that fulfills local distribution agencies' stated needs, the awarding of cash funds to local distribution agencies, or the reimbursement of local distribution agencies based on costs incurred by each agency. Emergency food organizations shall be permitted to apply to the Office of the Food Security Advocate for a waiver to utilize these funds to fill a demonstrated need for a program that supports local distribution agencies1.
b. 1The Office of the Food Security Advocate, in consultation with the emergency food organizations, shall develop a process for eliciting and gathering data about local distribution agencies' food and capacity needs.1 Each emergency food organization, 1[in consultation with the Office of the Food Security Advocate,]1 shall 1use the identified process and the resulting data to1 develop a 1data-informed1 plan for the 1equitable1 support of local distribution agencies 1[, which plan shall include parameters for the awarding of grants and evaluation standards that are aligned with the practices and initiatives of the Office of the Food Security Advocate]1. Each plan shall be tailored to the service area and needs of the emergency food organization, and shall provide for purchasing on behalf of local distribution agencies 1based on a stated need1, the awarding of cash funds to local distribution agencies, or reimbursements to local distribution agencies based on costs incurred by each agency.
c. Each emergency food organization shall provide a written report, on a 1[quarterly] monthly1 basis, to the Office of the Food Security Advocate, which details the following 1expenditures of State funds1:
(1) the aggregate total of financial support provided to local distribution agencies;
(2) the name of each of local distribution agency that received funding or other assistance in the specific 1[quarter] month1 and the amount of funding and assistance received; and
(3) an aggregated list summarizing the capital purchases made by emergency food organizations and local distribution agencies in the 1[quarter] month1.
d. 1[If an emergency food organization fails to file a quarterly report, within 10 days after the close of a quarter, that emergency food organization's allotment of funding shall be automatically suspended until the required quarterly report is received by the Office of the Food Security Advocate.] The allotment of funding to emergency food organizations shall be contingent upon the successful implementation of the plan developed pursuant to subsection b. of this section and the satisfaction, by such emergency food organizations, of the fiscal and programmatic requirements and other contractual obligations detailed in their contracts.1
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
