SB233 - Revises provisions relating to agriculture. (BDR S-704)

- 83rd Session (2025) Senate Bill No. 233–Senators Doñate and Flores CHAPTER.......... AN ACT relating to agriculture; requiring the Council on Food Security within the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a study on the Home Feeds Nevada Agriculture Food Purchase Program; making an appropriation; and providing other matters properly relating thereto. Legislative Counsel’s Digest: Existing law requires the Director of the State Department of Agriculture to establish the Home Feeds Nevada Agriculture Food Purchase Program to supplement the supply of nutritious food available to persons through food banks and other providers. (NRS 561.515) Section 2 of this bill requires the Council on Food Security within the Department of Health and Human Services to study issues relating to the long-term financial stability of the Home Feeds Nevada Agriculture Food Purchase Program, including, without limitation, identifying sustainable sources of revenue to fund the Program. Section 2 also: (1) requires the Council to submit a written report of the results of the study to the Director of the Department and the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmittal to the 84th Session of the Legislature; and (2) authorizes the Council to request the drafting of not more than one legislative measure for prefiling on or before the first day of the regular session of the 2027 Legislature. Section 3 of this bill makes an appropriation of $800,000 to the Nutritious Food Purchase Account for the Director of the State Department of Agriculture to carry out the Home Feeds Nevada Agriculture Food Purchase Program. EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. (Deleted by amendment.) Sec. 2. 1. The Council on Food Security created by NRS 232.4966 shall conduct a study during the 2025-2026 interim on the Home Feeds Nevada Agriculture Food Purchase Program established pursuant to NRS 561.515 concerning issues relating to the long-term financial stability of the Program, which must include, without limitation, identifying sustainable sources of revenue to fund the Program. 2. On or before December 1, 2026, the Council shall prepare and submit a written report describing the results of the study to: (a) The Director of the State Department of Agriculture; and (b) The Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmittal to the 84th Session of the Legislature. - 83rd Session (2025) 3. The Council may request the drafting of not more than one legislative measure which relates to matters within the scope of the Home Feeds Nevada Agriculture Food Purchase Program. The request must be submitted to the Legislative Counsel on or before December 1, 2026, and must be on a form prescribed by the Legislative Counsel. A legislative measure requested pursuant to this subsection must be prefiled on or before the first day of the regular session of the 84th Session of the Legislature. A legislative measure that is not prefiled on or before that day shall be deemed withdrawn. Sec. 3. 1. There is hereby appropriated from the State General Fund to the Nutritious Food Purchase Account created by NRS 561.505 the sum of $800,000 for use by the Director of the State Department of Agriculture to carry out the Home Feeds Nevada Agriculture Food Purchase Program established pursuant to NRS 561.515. 2. Any remaining balance of the appropriation made by subsection 1 must not be committed for expenditure after June 30, 2027, by the entity to which the appropriation is made or any entity to which money from the appropriation is granted or otherwise transferred in any manner, and any portion of the appropriated money remaining must not be spent for any purpose after September 17, 2027, by either the entity to which the money was appropriated or the entity to which the money was subsequently granted or transferred, and must be reverted to the State General Fund on or before September 17, 2027. Sec. 4. This act becomes effective on July 1, 2025. 20 ~~~~~ 25