New legislation would expand liability protections for food donors

U.S. Senators Pat Toomey and Richard Blumenthal have introduced legislation that would extend liability protections to food donors.

The Food Donation Improvement Act would keep K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and other institutions from facing civil or criminal liability when food is donated in good faith directly to a person in need rather than through a nonprofit intermediary, or when food is given at a deeply reduced cost.

The bill would also help clarify the labeling standards that donated food products have to meet to be covered by liability protections.