NY State Senate Bill 2025-S2689

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 22, 2025	referred to education

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2025-S2689 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A1834
Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Add §915-a, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2017-2018: S8517
2019-2020: S1472, A1624
2021-2022: S1726, A301
2023-2024: S996, A3708

2025-S2689 (ACTIVE) - Summary

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

2025-S2689 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S2689

SPONSOR: HOYLMAN-SIGAL
 
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 ethical 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.  Illinois has already passed a
similar law, requiring schools to provide plant-based meals August 2023.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

S.996 of 2023-2024 (Hoylman-Sigal): Died in Education

A.3708 of 2023-2024 (Rajkumar): Died in Education

S.1726 of 2021-2022 (Hoylman): Died in Education

A.0301 of 2021-2022 (Gottfried): Died in Education

S.1472 of 2019-2020 (Hoylman): Died in Education

A.1624 of 2019-2020 (Gottfried): died in Education

S.8517 of 2017-2018 (Hoylman): Died in Education

 
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.

2025-S2689 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2689
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 22, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  HOYLMAN-SIGAL,  ADDABBO, BRISPORT, BROUK, CLEARE,
   GOUNARDES, HARCKHAM, JACKSON, KAVANAGH, LIU, MYRIE, RIVERA, SEPULVEDA,
   SERRANO, SKOUFIS -- 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. ALL THE PUBLIC
 SCHOOL'S WRITTEN MATERIAL DESCRIBING FOOD OFFERINGS  SHALL  INCLUDE  THE
 AVAILABILITY  OF A PLANT-BASED FOOD OPTION.  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.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD02404-01-5

 S. 2689                             2
 
   (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.

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Senate Bill S2689

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Actions

co-Sponsors

2025-S2689 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S2689 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S2689 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S2689 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Actions

co-Sponsors

2025-S2689 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S2689 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S2689 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S2689 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments