Public contracts: healthy and sustainable food.

Existing law regulates various aspects of the provision of food and beverages in vending machines, including requiring a vendor that operates or maintains a vending machine on designated state property to offer food and beverages in the vending machine that meet accepted nutritional guidelines, as defined, in accordance with certain percentages. Existing law governing contracting between state agencies and private contractors sets forth requirements for the procurement of supplies, materials, equipment, and services by state agencies and sets forth the various responsibilities of the Department of General Services and other state agencies in overseeing and implementing state contracting procedures and policies. This bill would require, beginning January 1, 2014, at least 50% of food and beverages offered by a vendor in a vending machine on state property, as defined, to meet accepted nutritional guidelines. The bill also would revise the definition of accepted nutritional guidelines for this purpose. This bill would additionally require, beginning January 1, 2014, or upon expiration of an existing contract, whichever occurs later, any food sold in a state-owned or state-leased building to meet the standard criteria for food and nutrition guidelines for concessions as determined under the federal Health and Sustainability Guidelines for Federal Concessions and Vending Operations. This bill would also require the Department of General Services, when approving contracts for the purchase of food sold in any state-owned or state-leased building, to give preference to, and not include disincentives for, food which meets certain criteria, as specified, and would require the Department of General Services to provide state agencies with the federal Health and Sustainability Guidelines for Federal Concessions and Vending Operations. The bill would make related legislative findings regarding its purpose.