HOUSE . . . . . . . . No. 4418
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, September 8, 2025.
The committee on Agriculture and Fisheries, to whom were referred the petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 116) of Antonio F. D. Cabral and James C. Arena-DeRosa relative to the membership of the Massachusetts Food Policy Council; the petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 120) of Patricia A. Duffy, Daniel M. Donahue and others that the Food Policy Council appoint a food system coordinator as an employee; and the petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 130) of Hannah Kane and others relative to membership of the Massachusetts Food Policy Council, reports recommending that the accompanying bill (House, No. 4418) ought to pass.
For the committee,
NATALIE M. BLAIS.
FILED ON: 8/7/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4418
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to the Massachusetts Food Policy Council.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 6C of chapter 20 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 3, the figure “18”, and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- 20.
SECTION 2. Said section 6C of said chapter 20, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting, after the word “affairs” in line 19, the following words:- 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;.
SECTION 3. Said section 6C of said chapter 20, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the last sentence of subsection (c) the following 4 sentences:-
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.
SECTION 4. Said section 6C of said chapter 20, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after subsection (g) the following subsection:-
(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.