Bill Text: NY A06893 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Amended
Bill Title: Enacts the "New York seafood marketing task force act of 2017"; defines terms; establishes a task force consisting of eighteen members; outlines the powers and duties of such collaborative; requires that the task force provide a report of its findings addressing the research, marketing, expansion and funding opportunities for local seafood; makes related provisions.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Passed) 2017-12-18 - approval memo.49 [A06893 Detail]
Download: New_York-2017-A06893-Amended.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ S. 5385--A A. 6893--A 2017-2018 Regular Sessions SENATE - ASSEMBLY March 24, 2017 ___________ IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. LAVALLE -- read twice and ordered print- ed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit- tee IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Economic Development -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit- tee AN ACT to amend the economic development law, in relation to the estab- lishment of a New York seafood marketing task force The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The economic development law is amended by adding a new 2 article 23 to read as follows: 3 ARTICLE 23 4 NEW YORK SEAFOOD MARKETING TASK FORCE 5 Section 455. Short title. 6 456. Legislative findings. 7 457. Definitions. 8 458. Task force established. 9 459. Powers and duties. 10 460. Meeting and reporting requirements. 11 § 455. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as the 12 "New York seafood marketing task force act of 2017." 13 § 456. Legislative findings. The legislature hereby finds that the 14 seafood and aquaculture industries in New York state contribute signif- 15 icantly to New York's economic vitality. These industries support numer- 16 ous businesses, including commercial fishing businesses, fish markets, 17 ship repair shops, marinas, restaurants, grocery stores, tourism, gift EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD10464-04-7S. 5385--A 2 A. 6893--A 1 shops and numerous other shore side enterprises. The seafood and aqua- 2 culture industries are a rich and vibrant part of New York's history; 3 however, these industries have undergone significant and challenging 4 changes in recent years and still face many challenges in the years 5 ahead. This legislation recognizes the contributions of these industries 6 and seeks to provide insight and understanding to the role of these 7 industries and their continued value and growth. This legislation seeks 8 to increase the resources and information available to support New 9 York's local fishermen, aquaculturists and related small businesses to 10 ensure the best possible economic and environmental outcomes for the 11 continued growth of the seafood industry and the creation of more local- 12 ly produced sustainable food systems in the state of New York. 13 § 457. Definitions. When used in this article, the following terms 14 shall have the following meanings: 15 1. "Task force" means the New York seafood marketing task force estab- 16 lished under section four hundred fifty-eight of this article. 17 2. "State agencies" means state entities responsible for the implemen- 18 tation of New York's fishery management and economic development, 19 including, but not be limited to: 20 (a) the department; 21 (b) the department of agriculture and markets; 22 (c) the department of health; 23 (d) the department of environmental conservation; and 24 (e) the department of state. 25 § 458. Task force established. 1. There is hereby created a task force 26 known as the "New York seafood marketing task force" consisting of nine- 27 teen members as follows: 28 (a) The commissioner, or his or her designee, who shall serve as 29 chairperson; 30 (b) The commissioner of environmental conservation, or his or her 31 designee; 32 (c) The commissioner of agriculture and markets, or his or her desig- 33 nee; 34 (d) The commissioner of health, or his or her designee; 35 (e) The secretary of state, or his or her designee; 36 (f) A representative from a college or university with a specializa- 37 tion in marine and atmospheric sciences; 38 (g) A representative of the New York sea grant program; 39 (h) A representative of Cornell Cooperative Extension; 40 (i) A representative from a trade organization for seafood issues; and 41 (j) Ten additional members, each of whom shall be appointed by the 42 governor, in accordance with the following categories: 43 (i) Two New York-based dealers/wholesalers/processors who purchase and 44 sell finfish, shellfish, and/or crustaceans; 45 (ii) Two commercial aquaculturists; 46 (iii) A New York-based retailer of seafood products associated with a 47 restaurant or restaurant organization; 48 (iv) A New York-based retailer of seafood products associated with an 49 independent or franchised store; 50 (v) Two commercial fishermen licensed to harvest and/or land in New 51 York; 52 (vi) A member of an independent organization or association represent- 53 ing the New York hospitality industry; and 54 (vii) An economist with expertise in seafood marketing. 55 2. Forthwith upon the passage of this article, the members of the task 56 force shall meet at the call of the chairperson and organize. Thereaft-S. 5385--A 3 A. 6893--A 1 er, the task force shall meet at the call of the chairperson or three 2 members of the task force. 3 3. All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such 4 reasonable advice and information, documentation, and otherwise to the 5 task force and its agents as is deemed necessary or desirable by the 6 task force to facilitate the purposes of this article. 7 4. The members of the task force shall receive no compensation for 8 their services. 9 § 459. Powers and duties. The task force shall support and work colla- 10 boratively with the New York fishing community to promote the marketing 11 and sustainability of New York seafood, including but not limited to: 12 1. Identify barriers that prevent and/or inhibit local seafood market- 13 ing initiatives and growth; 14 2. Identify and facilitate opportunities to increase consumer demand 15 for local seafood; 16 3. Identify and facilitate opportunities to establish agreements with 17 local fishermen and seafood dealers for potential seafood marketplace 18 expansion; 19 4. Identify and work with federal and state entities to prevent 20 seafood mislabeling and keep illegally caught fish out of New York's 21 seafood markets, while providing more information to consumers about 22 their seafood purchases; 23 5. Review and identify existing studies, pilot programs and initi- 24 atives of this state and other states regarding best seafood-marketing 25 practices; 26 6. Provide educational opportunities for consumers and the seafood and 27 aquaculture community regarding the importance of New York's seafood 28 industry and seafood issues and initiatives; 29 7. Identify funding sources available to the fishing community to 30 support seafood marketing; 31 8. Issue recommendations necessary to achieve these goals; 32 9. Identify opportunities for potential funding to support New York 33 seafood marketing efforts and initiatives. 34 § 460. Meeting and reporting requirements. 1. The task force shall 35 provide a report of its findings addressing the research, marketing, 36 expansion and funding opportunities for local seafood. Such report shall 37 be provided to the governor and the state legislature by December thir- 38 ty-first, two thousand eighteen. 39 2. Thereafter, the task force shall report to the governor and the 40 state legislature, no later than December thirty-first of each year, on 41 the progress made in achieving the goals and objectives set forth in 42 this article. 43 3. The task force shall be subject to the provisions of articles six 44 and seven of the public officers law. 45 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
