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.
Public Law 104-210 · H.R. 2428 · 104th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Oct 1, 1996 · Agriculture and Food
Sponsor: Rep. Pat Danner (D-MO-6)
Cosponsors (1): Rep. Bill Emerson
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Amends the National and Community Service Act of 1990 with respect to the Good Samaritan Food Donation Act to: (1) eliminate references to it as "only" a model law; (2) retitle it as the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act; and (3) transfer it to the Child Nutrition Act of 1966.
Sets forth a donation liability standard for nonprofit organizations. States that: (1) persons, gleaners, or nonprofit organizations shall not be exempt for injury or death caused by their gross negligence (as defined by this Act) or intentional misconduct; and (2) this Act shall not supersede State or local health regulations.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Education and Workforce Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Postsecondary Education, Training and Life-Long Learning Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.
- Oct 1, 1996Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 104-210.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Sep 19, 1996PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Sep 5, 1996Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Goodling asked unanimous consent that the House agree to the Senate amendments.
- Aug 2, 1996FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 5149 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 5148 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
- Jul 12, 1996FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Goodling moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Canady asked unanimous consent That on Friday, July 12, 1996, the Speaker be authorized to entertain a motion, offered by Mr. Goodling, or his designee, to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 2428 as amended. Agreed to without objection.
- Jul 9, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Education and Workforce Committee
- Jun 26, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Education and Workforce Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Postsecondary Education, Training and Life-Long Learning Subcommittee of the House Education and Workforce Committee
- May 31, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Postsecondary Education, Training and Life-Long Learning Subcommittee of the House Education and Workforce Committee
- Oct 13, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Postsecondary Education, Training and Life-Long Learning Subcommittee of the House Education and Workforce Committee
- Sep 29, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Education and Workforce Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.