Establishes the sanitary retail food store grant program

Latest action Jan 29, 2026

Establishes the sanitary retail food store grant program to provide funding to retail food stores that fail inspections to correct deficiencies if such stores are unable to sustain the costs to immediately correct critical deficiencies, are located in food deserts, and would otherwise be unable to stay in operation due to their inability to meet and maintain sanitary standards.

Not chosen yet

Where it stands

Out of committee and scheduled for a vote by the full chamber.

Introduced
In committee
Up for a vote
Passed one chamber
Passed
Enacted

New York State Senate

Same as A1339, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Amends the Agriculture and Markets Law.

Committee

Agriculture · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Agriculture · New York State Senate.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

Section 1. Amends the agriculture and markets law by adding section 501 which provides "Sanitary retail food store grant program" to retail food stores that meet the following criteria: (a) found to have critical deficiencies that were not or could not be corrected at the time of inspection creating a need for immediate corrective action or failures for two consecutive inspections; (b) located in a food desert whereby closing the retail food store would have a substantial impact on the community it serves;(c) the retail food store is able to establish that it does not have adequate funding or resources to correct the critical deficiencies, nor would it be able to attain such funding within a reasonable amount time to prevent a negative impact to the community;(d) the retail food store is able to establish that it is unable to attain credit or loan for all or part of the costs needed to correct the crit- ical deficiencies; and (e) the retail food store supplies the community with affordable and nutritious food, such as fresh produce, canned goods, and refrigerated foods. Section 2. Subdivision 4 of section 500 of the agriculture and markets law, as amended by section 8 part II of chapter 62 of the laws of 2003, is amended by adding (a) that the department shall inspect each retail food store at least once in every twelve month period. Any store that fails two consecutive inspections shall be inspected at least once every six-month period until it has passed for another two consecutive inspections. Should a store be on the brink of closure due to failed inspections, the department may, in its discretion, allow such estab- lishments to maintain operation if they are able to establish that they qualified for the sanitary retail food store grant programs. (b) adds the definition of "critical deficiencies." Section 3. Establishes the effective date.

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Recorded votes

Vote: Committee vote · Agriculture
Senate AgricultureJan 29, 2026Result: passed
(8) (0) (0) (1)
Vote: Committee vote · Agriculture
Senate AgricultureMar 4, 2025Result: passed
(9) (0) (0) (0)

Cosponsors

Al Taylor, Eddie Gibbs and 5 more on Agora

Democratic6
Republican1

See the full list on nysenate.gov

The sponsor's argument

Why Roxanne J. Persaud says this is needed

This legislation provides sanitary retail food store grants to retail food stores such as bodegas and delicatessens that can demonstrate they are in food insecurity areas, not turning a high profit, and being the only food store in the community. This grant, through Empire State Development and the Department of Agriculture and Markets, would expand access to fresh food in areas with food insecurity and incentivize stores to maintain grade A. As defined by Agriculture and Markets Law - AGM § 500. (b) "Retail food store" means any establishment or section of an establishment where food and food products are offered to the consum- er and intended for off-premises consumption. The term does not include establishments, which handle only prepackaged, non-potentially hazardous foods, roadside markets that offer only fresh fruits and fresh vegeta- bles for sale, food service establishments, or food and beverage vending machines.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.

Full history

Jan 29, 2026
Reported out of committee
REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
NY Senate
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE
NY Assembly
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE
NY Senate
Mar 4, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
NY Senate
Feb 21, 2025
Amend and Recommit to Agriculture
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO AGRICULTURE
NY Assembly

Show full history (2 earlier events)

Jan 31, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE
NY Senate
Jan 9, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE
NY Assembly

About this record

Summary: The summary comes from NY Open Legislation, the New York State Senate's public record. For more, see How we handle summaries.
Cosponsors: The list shows the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.
Party colors: Parties are shown in the same neutral colors.
Source: From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Nov 1, 2026. About our data

Read the record

Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.

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