Int 1223-2013

Be it enacted by the Council as follows: Section 1. a. There shall be a food policy council to develop comprehensive food policies and to advise city agencies on issues that affect municipal food policies in New York city. b. Such food policy council shall consist of fifteen members as follows: i. Eight members shall be appointed by the mayor, provided that appointees will have backgrounds in the following areas: anti-hunger; public health; environmental sustainability; community gardening; labor; food manufacturing; food delivery; and food wholesale and retail. ii. Seven members shall be appointed by the speaker of the council, provided that appointees will have backgrounds in the following areas: finance; education; child welfare; health promotion; urban agriculture; food justice; and public assistance advocacy. iii. At its first meeting, the food policy council shall select a chairperson from among its members by a majority vote of the food policy council. c. Each member shall serve for a term of four years to commence after the final member of the food policy council is appointed. Any vacancies in the membership of the food policy council shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. A person filling such vacancy shall serve for the unexpired portion of the term of the succeeded member. d. No member of the food policy council shall be removed from office except for cause and upon notice and hearing by the appropriate appointing official. e. Members of the food policy council shall serve without compensation and shall meet as necessary. f. The food policy council shall issue a report to the mayor and the speaker of the council no later than twelve months after the final member of the food policy council is appointed. Such report shall include recommendations on the following areas including, but not limited to: i. Reducing hunger; ii. Improving nutrition and reducing obesity; iii. Increasing the local procurement of food; iv. Reducing food desert areas; v. Improving work conditions and job quality of food workers; vi. Reducing food and food packaging waste; vii. Increasing healthy diets of New York city residents and school children. g. The food policy council shall meet quarterly following the publication of the report to review progress on the recommendations of the report. The food policy council shall issue annual updates of the status of recommendations to the mayor, city council and public. h. The food policy council shall be empowered to issue reports on municipal food policies in addition to the report described in subdivision f of this local law. �2. This local law shall take effect immediately. AV LS # 4722/4635 11/19/2013