H4418 — An Act relative to the Massachusetts Food Policy Council

Summary

An Act relative to the Massachusetts Food Policy Council

Bill Text

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The bill increases the membership of a committee, establishes compensation criteria for members, and creates a new position of food system coordinator with specific responsibilities.

• Chapter 20, Section 6C

  18 → 20

  Increases the membership requirement of the advisory committee from 18 to 20 members.

• Chapter 20, Section 6C

  1 of whom shall be the director of the division of marine fisheries of the department of fish and game, or the director’s designee; 1 of whom shall be the director of the University of Massachusetts Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment, or the director’s designee;

  Adds specific representatives to the advisory committee from marine fisheries and UMass Center for Agriculture.

• Chapter 20, Section 6C

  Advisory committee members may be eligible for compensation at a rate fixed by the council, as approved by the chief financial officer of the department of agricultural resources to ensure appropriate funds are available to cover the costs. Advisory committee members shall be eligible for compensation only to the extent otherwise permitted by chapter 268A of the general laws and upon providing the necessary documentation required to process any such payment. Any request for compensation shall be made by the advisory committee member to the department of agricultural resources within 30 days of being incurred. Requests made after this time may be ineligible for payment.

  Establishes criteria and process for compensating advisory committee members.

• Chapter 20, Section 6C

  (h) Subject to appropriation, the council shall appoint a full time food system coordinator as an employee. The food system coordinator shall have access to all relevant agency meetings; serve in an advisory capacity to all relevant departments to inventory existing state programs which relate to the food system across all state agencies, including, but not limited to, agencies associated with the council; facilitate communication and resource collaboration across state agencies; develop and track metrics related to food system goals; identify opportunities to eliminate duplicative efforts and strengthen complementary programs and projects; identify gaps in services and supports and make recommendations; and provide input to help coordinate outreach to underserved communities. The food system coordinator shall submit a report 1 week prior to each council meeting with findings, progress updates, and recommendations to the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives, the joint committee on agriculture and fisheries, the council, relevant department secretaries, and relevant department commissioners.

  Creates a new position of food system coordinator with defined duties and reporting requirements.

Sponsors

• Joint Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries · Primary

Subjects