N.J. Stat. tit. 52, ch. 27J

in effect

N.J. Stat. § 52:27J-1 Findings, declarations relative to food insecurity.

1. The Legislature finds and declares that: (a) Over one million people are estimated to be food insecure in New Jersey and more than one-third of them are children; (b) The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic is projected to cause a disproportionate increase in the rate of food insecurity in this State compared to the national rate and neighboring states; (c) Several departments are responsible for administering different food insecurity programs in the State: the Department of Human Services administers the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; the Department of Health administers the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children; and the Department of Agriculture administers the United States Department of Agriculture's school nutrition program in New Jersey; (d) The State's food insecurity programs are currently operating in silos and, in some cases, they may all cover the same families, yet not all eligible families are enrolled into each program; and (e) Establishing an Office of the Food Security Advocate by statute will help coordinate the administration of the State's food insecurity programs, advocate for the food insecure, and develop new policy initiatives to combat hunger and facilitate greater access to food relief programs. L.2021, c.242, s.1; 2021, c.483, s.1.

N.J. Stat. § 52:27J-2 Definitions.

2. As used in P.L.2021, c.242 (C.52:27J-1 et seq.): "Emergency food organization" means a food bank which receives funding for Food and Hunger Programs pursuant to an annual State appropriations act. "Food insecurity program" means a nutrition program in this State that provides nutrition assistance to individuals without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food and includes, but is not limited to, the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children, the Commodity Supplemental Food program, the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, the Child and Adult Care Program, and the United States Department of Agriculture's school nutrition program. L.2021, c.242, s.2; amended 2023, c.328, s.1.

N.J. Stat. § 52:27J-3 Office of the Food Security Advocate created; duties of office.

3. There is created in the Executive Branch of the State Government the Office of the Food Security Advocate. For the purpose of complying with the provisions of Article V, Section IV, paragraph 1 of the New Jersey Constitution, the Office of the Food Security Advocate is allocated to the Department of Agriculture, but notwithstanding this allocation, the office shall be independent of any supervision or control by the department, or by any board or officer thereof, in the performance of its duties. The office shall have the duty to collaborate with the appropriate State agency to: (a) coordinate outreach for food insecurity programs, including developing new initiatives and outreach campaigns and identifying best practices to increase enrollment in the State's food insecurity programs; (b) establish a 24-hour toll-free hunger hotline to assist in making information about the State's food insecurity programs as widely available as possible; (c) support grant application processes related to food insecurity for in-state providers and State departments by monitoring available grants, recommending grant applications, and assisting with the grant application process; (d) coordinate communication with and between food banks; (e) establish best practices for food banks to reduce food waste and to distribute more fresh produce and proteins to food insecurity programs and food banks; (f) cooperate with research organizations and universities to monitor ongoing gap analysis that identifies areas that are underserved by current food insecurity programs; (g) work with State and community partners to develop a strategic plan to address identified gaps in areas that are underserved by current food insecurity programs; (h) oversee the development and implementation of public-private partnerships to address food insecurity; (i) provide support in coordinating assistance to address food insecurity during federal or State declared states of emergency; (j) coordinate food insecurity programming and initiatives for institutions of higher education with the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education; (k) develop new initiatives, establish an outreach campaign, and identify best practices to reach senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable populations; and (l) coordinate outreach efforts for the newly unemployed who might be eligible for food insecurity programs. L.2021, c.242, s.3; amended 2021, c.483, s.2.

N.J. Stat. § 52:27J-4 Appointment of food security advocate.

4. The administrator and chief executive officer of the office is the food security advocate, who shall be a person qualified by training and experience to perform the duties of the office. The food security advocate shall be appointed by the Governor and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor during the Governor's term of office and until the appointment and qualification of the food security advocate's successor. The food security advocate shall devote time entirely to the duties of the position and shall receive a salary as determined by law. Any vacancy occurring in the position of the food security advocate shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment; except that if the food security advocate dies, resigns, becomes ineligible to serve for any reason, or is removed from office, the Governor shall appoint an acting food security advocate, who shall serve until the appointment and qualification of the food security advocate's successor, but in no event longer than six months from the occurrence of the vacancy, and who shall exercise during this period all the powers and duties of the food security advocate pursuant to the provisions of this act. L.2021, c.242, s.4; amended 2021, c.483, s.3.

N.J. Stat. § 52:27J-5 Duties of food security advocate.

5. The food security advocate, as administrator and chief executive officer of the office, shall: a. administer and organize the work of the office and establish therein such administrative subdivisions as the food security advocate may deem necessary, proper and expedient. The food security advocate may formulate and adopt rules and regulations and prescribe duties for the efficient conduct of the business, work and general administration of the office. The food security advocate may delegate to subordinate officers or employees in the office such power as the food security advocate may deem desirable to be exercised under the food security advocate's supervision and control; b. appoint and remove stenographic, clerical, and other secretarial assistants as may be required for the proper conduct of the office, subject to the provisions of Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes, and other applicable statutes, and within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available therefor. In addition, and within funding limits, the food security advocate may appoint, retain, or employ, without regard to the provisions of Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes or any other statutes, any officers, financial managers, social workers, or other professionally qualified personnel on a contract basis or otherwise as the food security advocate deems necessary; c. maintain suitable headquarters for the office and such other quarters as the food security advocate shall deem necessary to the proper functioning of the office; d. solicit and accept grants of funds from the federal government and from other public and any private sources for any of the purposes of this act; provided, however, that any such funds shall be expended only pursuant to an appropriation made by law; e. serve as the liaison between the Office of the Food Security Advocate and the Departments of Agriculture, Education, Health, and Human Services; and f. perform such other functions as may be prescribed in this act or by any other law. L.2021, c.242, s.5; amended 2021, c.483, s.4.

N.J. Stat. § 52:27J-6 Rules, regulations.

6. Pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), the food security advocate and the Commissioners of Agriculture, Education, Health, and Human Services may adopt any rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act. L.2021, c.242, s.6; amended 2021, c.483, s.5.

N.J. Stat. § 52:27J-7 Monies appropriated, emergency food organizations, funding allocations; report, Office of the Food Security Advocate.

2. a. Notwithstanding any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, of the monies appropriated to emergency food organizations pursuant to an annual appropriations act: (1) 10 percent of each emergency food organization's funding allocation shall be expended on New Jersey agricultural products, and may include expenditures related to agricultural capital investment and innovation; (2) up to 30 percent of each emergency food organization's funding allocation may be used for administrative and staffing costs and the purchase of capital investments or infrastructure, including for the purchase of necessary technology, vehicles, and storage requirements including refrigeration or dry space; and (3) no less than 60 percent of each emergency food organization's State funding allocation shall be used to support local distribution agencies. Support for local distribution agencies includes the purchasing of food that fulfills local distribution agencies' stated needs, the awarding of cash funds to local distribution agencies, or the reimbursement of local distribution agencies based on costs incurred by each agency. Emergency food organizations shall be permitted to apply to the Office of the Food Security Advocate for a waiver to utilize these funds to fill a demonstrated need for a program that supports local distribution agencies. b. The Office of the Food Security Advocate, in consultation with the emergency food organizations, shall develop a process for eliciting and gathering data about local distribution agencies' food and capacity needs. Each emergency food organization, shall use the identified process and the resulting data to develop a data-informed plan for the equitable support of local distribution agencies. Each plan shall be tailored to the service area and needs of the emergency food organization, and shall provide for purchasing on behalf of local distribution agencies based on a stated need, the awarding of cash funds to local distribution agencies, or reimbursements to local distribution agencies based on costs incurred by each agency. c. Each emergency food organization shall provide a written report, on a monthly basis, to the Office of the Food Security Advocate, which details the following expenditures of State funds: (1) the aggregate total of financial support provided to local distribution agencies; (2) the name of each of local distribution agency that received funding or other assistance in the specific month and the amount of funding and assistance received; and (3) an aggregated list summarizing the capital purchases made by emergency food organizations and local distribution agencies in the month. d. The allotment of funding to emergency food organizations shall be contingent upon the successful implementation of the plan developed pursuant to subsection b. of this section and the satisfaction, by such emergency food organizations, of the fiscal and programmatic requirements and other contractual obligations detailed in their contracts. L.2023, c.329, s.2.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-activity/statutesFetched: 10/17/2026