Bill Text: NY S01096 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Establishes a healthy savings pilot program within three cities where those in the program can receive discounts on healthier food choices at grocery stores and supermarkets.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - REFERRED TO HEALTH [S01096 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S01096-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          1096

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                    January 10, 2023
                                       ___________

        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
    24    (e) the program shall be implemented in sections of three cities where
    25  food insecurity and health inequity are a health issue.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD03316-01-3
        S. 1096                             2

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