Act to encourage food donation to nonprofit organizations in the US
Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act
Long title
An act to encourage the donation of food and grocery products to nonprofit organizations for distribution to needy individuals by giving the Model Good Samaritan Food Donation Act the full force and effect of law.
Passed the Senate on August 2, 1996 with amendment
House agreed to Senate amendment on September 5, 1996()
Signed into law by President Bill Clinton on October 1, 1996
The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act of 1996 is a United States federal Law enacted on October 1st, 1996. The act limits liability for food donors based on the condition or packaging of the food, excepting in cases leading to death, direct donations, or other cases of gross negligence.
The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act was first introduced in 1996. It was spearheaded by member of congress, Bill Emerson, who died before the act passed. The law was named after him to recognize his work. It passed the House on July 12th, 1996 and the Senate on August 2nd, 1996, who proposed an amendment the House agreed to on September 5th, 1996. The act was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on October 1st, 1996.
Description of the law
The law provides limited liability for individual, corporation, partnership, organization, association, or governmental entity which donate food to non-profits that feed the hungry. In other words, this law ensures that entities that donate food cannot be sued for proving expired or otherwise unfit to consume food to the hungry. [1]
This law has in place some limits to its protections:
Direct donations to hungry individuals are not covered by the law.
In cases of gross negligence this law will not award the donating entity any protections
Expansions to the law
The Federal Food Donation Act of 2008 built on the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act by encouraging federal agencies to donate excess food to nonprofit organizations, utilizing the exemption for civil and criminal liability provided for in the 1996 law. Federal contracts for the purchase of food valued at over $25,000 must make provision for contractors to donate apparently wholesome excess food to nonprofit organizations.[2]
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