Section 261.450

Title XVII AGRICULTURE AND ANIMALS

Chapter 261

Effective - 28 Aug 2021   

  261.450.  Food security task force, members, meetings — mission — report — termination date. — 1.  There is hereby established the "Missouri Food Security Task Force".

  2.  The task force shall be comprised of the following members:

  (1)  Two members of the house of representatives, with one member to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and one member to be appointed by the minority floor leader of the house of representatives;

  (2)  Two members of the senate, with one member to be appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate and one member to be appointed by the minority floor leader of the senate;

  (3)  The director of the department of agriculture, or the director's designee;

  (4)  The director of the department of economic development, or the director's designee;

  (5)  The director of the department of health and senior services, or the director's designee;

  (6)  The director of the department of social services, or the director's designee;

  (7)  One registered dietician, appointed by the Missouri Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics;

  (8)  The commissioner of the department of elementary and secondary education, or the commissioner's designee;

  (9)  Two representatives from institutions of higher education located in Missouri, with knowledge or experience with hunger on college campuses, with one representative from a four-year college or university and one representative from a two-year college;

  (10)  One member representing a statewide association providing direct services to low-income Missourians experiencing^* food insecurity;

  (11)  Two members representing advocacy organizations focused on addressing child hunger and family food insecurity;

  (12)  One member representing food banks located in Missouri;

  (13)  One member representing a business specializing in retail or direct food sales;

  (14)  Two members representing a community development financial institution, one with experience in food retail financing and one with experience in consumers experiencing food insecurity;

  (15)  Two members representing local food producers, with one representing an urban area and one representing a rural area;

  (16)  Two members representing statewide farmer-led or farmer-based organizations;

  (17)  One member representing a faith-based organization offering food security services; and

  (18)  One member representing a nonprofit organization working in food systems to address food insecurity concerns.

  3.  Members of the task force, other than the legislative members and directors of state agencies, shall be appointed by the director of the department of agriculture.

  4.  The director of the department of agriculture shall ensure that the membership of the task force reflects the diversity of the state, with members on the task force representing urban and rural areas and various geographic regions of the state.

  5.  The department of agriculture shall provide technical and administrative support as required by the task force to fulfill its duties.

  6.  State departments shall provide relevant data as requested by the task force to fulfill its duties.

  7.  Members of the task force shall serve without compensation but shall receive reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in attending meetings of the task force or any subcommittee thereof.

  8.  The task force shall hold its first meeting within two months after August 28, 2021, and organize by selecting a chair and a vice chair.

  9.  The mission of the task force shall be to:

  (1)  Determine the ability of individuals located in urban and rural areas throughout the state to access healthy food and identify populations and areas in which access to food is limited or uncertain;

  (2)  Identify ways in which the state could connect resources and individuals in an effort to ensure food security for all Missourians;

  (3)  Evaluate the impact of tax increment financing projects and restrictive deed covenants imposed by grocery retailers on creating food deserts or prolonging existing food deserts;

  (4)  Evaluate the potential impacts of online food retail on food insecurity throughout the state; and

  (5)  Evaluate potential strategies to improve collaborations and efficiencies in federal and state nutrition safety net programming.

  10.  The task force shall report a summary of its findings and recommendations to the governor's office and the general assembly by August twenty-eighth of each year.

  11.  The task force shall be dissolved on December 31, 2023, unless extended until December 31, 2025, as determined necessary by the department of agriculture.

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(L. 2021 H.B. 432)

*Word "experiences" appears in original rolls.