S 4372: Requires the creation of a thirteen member advisory board within the department of agriculture and markets on food safety and inspection programs; establishes such board is to advise, counsel and confer with the commissioner of agriculture and markets on matters dealing with enforcement of laws and regulations regarding food safety and protection and shall make recommendations regarding any necessary statutory or regulatory changes.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4372 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE February 4, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Agriculture AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to creating an advisory board on food safety protection and inspection programs in the department of agriculture and markets The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new 2 section 26-a to read as follows: 3 § 26-a. Advisory board on department food safety protection and 4 inspection programs. 1. There is hereby established in the department 5 an advisory board on food safety protection and inspection which shall 6 consist of thirteen members. Seven members shall be appointed by the 7 governor, including at least two representatives, with expertise in food 8 safety, from New York state research universities, one representative of 9 the retail food industry, one representative of the food manufacturing 10 or processing industry, and one farmer. The speaker of the assembly and 11 the temporary president of the senate shall each have two appointments. 12 Each shall appoint a member who is a consumer or representative of 13 consumer interests and each will appoint a member representing the food 14 industry. The minority leaders of the assembly and the senate shall 15 each have one appointment. In addition, representatives of the follow- 16 ing agencies shall be invited to attend and participate in all meetings 17 of the advisory board and, at their option, shall be ex officio members: 18 (a) a county or municipal health department; 19 (b) the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; 20 (c) the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety Inspection Service; 21 and 22 (d) the New York state department of health. 23 2. It shall be the duty of the advisory board hereby established to 24 advise, counsel and confer with the commissioner on matters of policy in EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD05820-01-5 
 S. 4372 2 1 connection with the administration and enforcement of laws and regu- 2 lations relating to food safety. The advisory board shall specifically 3 examine the adequacy of food safety protection and inspection by the 4 department and recommend necessary changes in administration and staff- 5 ing levels of food safety enforcement activities to ensure the 6 protection of the public's health. The advisory board shall review 7 existing and proposed state food safety laws and regulations and recom- 8 mend to the commissioner, and the assembly and senate chairs of the 9 agriculture and health committees, necessary changes or additions to 10 laws, regulations and department programs to improve food safety and the 11 effectiveness of the department's food safety inspection and enforcement 12 activities. 13 3. The commissioner may detail from time to time to the assistance of 14 the advisory board such employees of the department as the commissioner 15 deems necessary and shall provide necessary information and space for 16 meetings of the advisory board. The advisory board shall adopt rules 17 and regulations to govern its proceedings and keep a record of its meet- 18 ings and recommendations. 19 4. The advisory board shall meet at the call of the commissioner and 20 at such other times as it may deem necessary and at such places as may 21 be convenient. An initial meeting shall be held within thirty days 22 after all appointments to such board are completed. 23 § 2. The appointments to the advisory board on the department of agri- 24 culture and markets food safety protection and inspection programs 25 authorized by section 26-a of the agriculture and markets law, as added 26 by section one of this act, shall be completed within 180 days of the 27 effective date of this act. 28 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.