S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
8508
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
May 20, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CHANG -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring excess,
unused, edible food from meals served at educational facilities be
donated to local voluntary food assistance programs
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 56 of section 305 of the education law, as
added by chapter 316 of the laws of 2017, is renumbered subdivision 63
and is amended to read as follows:
63. The commissioner, in consultation and cooperation with the commis-
sioner of agriculture and markets, [may] SHALL develop guidelines to
[encourage] MANDATE school districts and institutions of higher educa-
tion to donate excess, unused, edible food from meals served at such
educational facilities to local voluntary food assistance programs
including, but not limited to, community food pantries, soup kitchens,
and other community and not-for-profit organizations that distribute
food to the poor and disadvantaged. Such guidelines developed concerning
donated food shall comply with all federal, state and local public
health laws, rules and regulations that govern food safety and food
donation.
Such guidelines may include, but not be limited to:
a. a procedure to provide information to school districts, insti-
tutions of higher education and local voluntary food assistance programs
of the provisions of such guidelines;
b. notification to educational institutions of their ability to elect
to donate excess, unused, edible food to local voluntary food assistance
programs; and
c. information and technical assistance on how school districts and
institutions of higher education may best donate excess food in a safe
and sanitary manner.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11983-01-5
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