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.
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.
LBD02056-01-5
S. 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.
