Bill > HB1682

This bill creates the Arkansas Good Neighbor Act to clarify and expand protections for food donors and recipients. The legislation repeals the existing food donation liability statute and replaces it with a more comprehensive law that provides liability protection for individuals, businesses, and organizations that donate food to churches, religious organizations, or nonprofit groups. Under the new law, donors and recipients are shielded from civil or criminal liability when donating or distributing food that may not meet consumer safety standards or is not considered marketably attractive, provided they act in good faith and disclose the food's condition to the best of their knowledge. The bill broadly defines "food" and "person" to include a wide range of entities like grocery stores, restaurants, farmers, and hospitals. Importantly, the law does not protect against liability in cases of gross negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct, and it does not limit regulatory agencies' ability to ban food unfit for human consumption. Additionally, the bill requires that all licensed food producers and distributors be informed about these new food donation liability protections, aiming to encourage more food donations and reduce food waste while protecting donors and recipients.

Health and Social Services

https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?id=hb1682&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R