HB 1418 Summary: Josephine Meade Anti-Hunger Act

• Creates the "Josephine Meade Anti-Hunger Act" to address food insecurity by establishing new codified sections 163.2 and 163.3 of Title 56 Oklahoma Statutes.

• Directs the Department of Human Services to promulgate rules authorizing senior nutrition project site patrons to take home leftover food and to seek donations of packaged, nonperishable, and fresh foods for distribution without requiring overnight storage.

• Directs the State Department of Education to promulgate rules preventing food waste in school cafeterias and developing policies to redistribute leftover foods to students in need, and to seek donations of packaged, nonperishable, and fresh foods.

• Amends 76 O.S. 2011, Section 5.6 to expand good-faith food donation protections to include non-readily marketable perishable and nonperishable food and requires the State Department of Health to post information on its website about safe food donation options.

• Declares an emergency so the act takes effect immediately upon passage and approval.