S 873: 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.
The proposed law aims to establish a "Healthy Savings Pilot Program" to reduce food insecurity and health inequity in the state. The program will provide discounts on healthier food choices at grocery stores and supermarkets, making nutritious food more accessible to a wider audience. The program will have the following key features: - It will be available to at least one million people across the state. - It will include a companion phone application and website to show discounted healthy food items. - Discount cards will be issued to participants to facilitate the purchase of healthy food items at a discount. - Discounts will be offered on at least the healthiest quarter of items sold in participating locations. - The program will be implemented in three cities with significant health issues related to food insecurity and inequity. - The state will pursue available funding and cost re…
| Jan. 07, 2026 | REFERRED TO HEALTH |
| Jan. 08, 2025 | REFERRED TO HEALTH |
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 873 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN SENATE (Prefiled) January 8, 2025 ___________ 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 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD02056-01-5S. 873 2 1 (e) the program shall be implemented in sections of three cities where 2 food insecurity and health inequity are a health issue. 3 3. The department shall pursue available funding and cost reduction 4 options and make efforts to establish a public-private partnership with 5 grocery stores, supermarkets, and organizations that promote healthy 6 food choices. 7 4. The department shall be responsible for monitoring the quality, 8 appropriateness and effectiveness of the program and shall report to the 9 legislature within one year of the effective date of this section, and 10 on January first of each year thereafter, on the program's effective- 11 ness. 12 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.