NY State Senate Bill S8517

senate Bill S8517

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Relates to requiring public schools to offer plant-based food options in food service

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Introduced
In Committee
On Floor Calendar
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
Delivered to Governor
Signed/Vetoed by Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 09, 2018	referred to education

S8517 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A10600
Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Add §915-a, Ed L
Versions Introduced in 2019-2020 Legislative Session:: S1472

S8517 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires public schools to offer plant-based food options in food service.

S8517 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

 
BILL NUMBER: S8517

SPONSOR: HOYLMAN
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring public
schools to offer plant-based food options in food service

 
PURPOSE:

This bill would require public schools to offer plant-based food options
to a student upon request by a student or person in parental relation to
the student.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 adds a new section 915-a to the Education Law to:

1. Require that every public school shall offer a plant-based food
option as an alternative to meals or snacks upon a student or parent's
request.

2. Require the school to respond in a reasonable manner and time to any
request made under this section.

3. Defines "plant-based food option" as free of animal products and, as
relates to the "protein" portion of a meal, as recognized by the US
Department of Agriculture as a meat alternative; and defines "animal
product" as meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, eggs, honey, and any deriva-
tive thereof.

4. Require schools to consult with school district nutrition advisory
committees established in section 918 of Education Law where applicable.

Section 2. Effective date. This act shall apply to food service begin-
ning with the school year one year after it shall have become law.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Plant-based diets (PBD) are those free of animal products such as meat,
seafood, dairy, and eggs. A 2016 United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) report recommended PBD as beneficial both for health
and the environment. In 2017, the American Medical Association called on
hospitals to provide a variety of healthful food including plant-based
meals alongside recommendations to eliminate processed meats from hospi-
tal menus. Doctors also prescribe PBD for patients suffering from heart
disease, obesity, diabetes, and other conditions.

Diet is a major component of child development. Providing a PBD option
upon student or parent request ensures respect for children's dietary,
religious, or ethnic needs. This legislation would not mandate schools
to fully change menus for all students, but rather provide PBD for any
students who request or whose parental relations request PBD. In meeting
such requests, schools shall work with their nutrition advisory commit-
tees if the district has such committee.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Effective immediately, and shall apply to public school food service
beginning with the school year beginning one year after it shall have
become law.

S8517 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf


                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  8517

                            I N  S E N A T E

                               May 9, 2018
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen. HOYLMAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Education

AN ACT to amend the education  law,  in  relation  to  requiring  public
  schools to offer plant-based food options in food service

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section  915-a
to read as follows:
  §  915-A.  PLANT-BASED  FOOD  OPTIONS. 1. UPON REQUEST BY A STUDENT OR
PERSON IN PARENTAL RELATION TO THE STUDENT, EVERY  PUBLIC  SCHOOL  SHALL
OFFER  THE  STUDENT A PLANT-BASED FOOD OPTION AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO EVERY
MEAL OR SNACK OFFERED IN FOOD SERVICE TO THE  STUDENT.  THE  PLANT-BASED
FOOD OPTION SHALL BE OFFERED AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO THE STUDENT BEYOND
WHAT WOULD BE CHARGED FOR A COMPARABLE NON-PLANT-BASED FOOD OPTION.
  2.  THE  SCHOOL  SHALL  RESPOND IN A REASONABLE MANNER AND TIME TO ANY
REQUEST MADE UNDER THIS SECTION,  CONSISTENT  WITH  GUIDANCE  BY  SCHOOL
AUTHORITIES.  THE  REQUEST  SHALL  BE EFFECTIVE FOR EVERY SCHOOL MEAL OR
SNACK IN WHICH THE STUDENT IS REASONABLY EXPECTED TO  PARTICIPATE.  THIS
SECTION  DOES  NOT  PRECLUDE THE OFFERING OF PLANT-BASED FOOD OPTIONS TO
STUDENTS WHO HAVE NOT REQUESTED IT, AND DOES NOT PRECLUDE AN  INDIVIDUAL
WHO  HAS REQUESTED A PLANT-BASED FOOD OPTION FROM SELECTING A NON-PLANT-
BASED FOOD OPTION.
  3. AS USED IN THIS SECTION:
  (A) "PLANT-BASED FOOD OPTION" MEANS FOOD OR BEVERAGES THAT ARE FREE OF
ANIMAL PRODUCTS AND, AS RELATES TO THE  "PROTEIN"  PORTION  OF  A  MEAL,
RECOGNIZED  BY  THE  UNITED  STATES  DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AS A MEAT
ALTERNATE FOR PURPOSES OF THE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM.
  (B) "ANIMAL PRODUCT" MEANS MEAT, POULTRY, SEAFOOD, DAIRY, EGGS, HONEY,
AND ANY DERIVATIVE THEREOF.
  4. IN IMPLEMENTING THIS SECTION, THE  SCHOOL  AND  SCHOOL  AUTHORITIES
SHALL  CONSULT  WITH  THE  SCHOOL  DISTRICT NUTRITION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
UNDER SECTION NINE HUNDRED EIGHTEEN OF THIS ARTICLE, WHERE APPLICABLE.
  § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to  public
school  food  service  beginning with the school year, as defined in the
education law, beginning one year after it shall have become a law.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD15710-02-8

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The New York State Senate

senate Bill S8517

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

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S8517 (ACTIVE) - Details

S8517 (ACTIVE) - Summary

S8517 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

S8517 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

senate Bill S8517

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Sponsored By

Brad Hoylman

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Your Voice

Actions

S8517 (ACTIVE) - Details

S8517 (ACTIVE) - Summary

S8517 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

S8517 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments