Feeding Kansas News & Action Alerts, February 20, 2016
To read the entire latest Feeding Kansas News & Action Alerts newsletter, please follow this link. The issue includes information about KRC’s March 17, 2016, Water, Energy, Land and Food Forum at the Statehouse in Topeka, and updates on HB 2595 and SB 314.
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HB 2595 Update
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This week HB 2595 was debated and passed by the Commerce, Labor and Economic Development committee with amendments that narrowed its scope. Additional amendments within the next couple of weeks are anticipated as the bill moves to the House to be debated. Amendments will be posed to the bill website. http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2015_16/measures/hb2595/ The original bill preempted local efforts to address food based disparities and to make the healthy choice the easy choice in settings such as restaurants, retail food establishments and vending machines. There was concern the bill could also negatively affect momentum around local food systems development.
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SB 314 Update
SB 314, extending the work of the Local Food and Farm Task Force, was passed out of the Senate this week with only one vote against. A few amendments were made to the bill.
These amendments can be found on the bill website, http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2015_16/measures/sb314/SB 314 calls for the extension of the Local Food and Farm Task Force. The extension will allow the task force to continue evaluating policy and funding recommendations for expanding and supporting local food systems and for assessing and overcoming obstacles necessary to increase locally grown food production.
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