100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
HB5615

 

Introduced , by Rep. Sonya M. Harper

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
305 ILCS 5/12-4.50

    Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that subject to appropriation, each municipality with a community or geographical area that is identified as a food desert by the Department of Public Health shall be eligible for grants from the Healthy Local Food Incentives Fund. Provides that the grants shall not exceed $500,000 for each municipality and that municipalities that receive grants shall distribute the grant money to persons or entities seeking to establish a business within the community or geographical area that is identified as a food desert for the purpose of selling or distributing fresh fruits and vegetables. Permits the Department of Human Services to adopt any rules necessary to implement the grant program. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB5615LRB100 19749 KTG 35023 b

1    AN ACT concerning public aid.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by
5changing Section 12-4.50 as follows:
 
6    (305 ILCS 5/12-4.50)
7    (Section scheduled to be repealed on June 30, 2019)
8    Sec. 12-4.50. Healthy Local Food Incentives Program.
9    (a) Legislative findings. Diet and other lifestyle choices
10contribute to more than half of all deaths in Illinois. Health
11risk factors include smoking, obesity, stress, nutrition, high
12blood pressure, and alcohol and drug use. Illinois residents
13should be encouraged to adopt diets and lifestyles that lead to
14wellness. The State can help provide that encouragement by
15funding wellness programs that enhance the health of Illinois
16residents. Healthy local food incentives encourage wellness
17among some of the most vulnerable residents of Illinois (those
18whose incomes are below the poverty line and who often have
19limited access to fresh, healthy, and affordable foods) by
20doubling the purchasing power of LINK cardholders at farmers
21markets across the State. The benefits of such a program
22include: an increase in population health, Medicaid health care
23cost savings, decreased incidence of preventable diseases,

 

 

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1increased revenue for Illinois small farmers, and economic
2stimulus for the region.
3    (b) Definitions. As used in this Section:
4    "FINI eligible fruits and vegetables" means any variety of
5fresh, canned, dried, or frozen whole or cut fruits and
6vegetables without added sugars, fats, or oils, and salt (i.e.
7sodium), as defined by the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive
8Grant Program administered by the United States Department of
9Agriculture.
10    "LINK card" means an electronic benefits transfer card
11issued by the Department of Human Services for the purpose of
12enabling a user of the card to obtain SNAP benefits or cash.
13    "SNAP" means the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
14Program.
15    (c) The Department of Human Services shall establish a
16Healthy Local Food Incentives Program to double the purchasing
17power of Illinois residents with limited access to fresh fruits
18and vegetables. The Healthy Local Food Incentives Fund is
19created as a special fund in the State treasury for the purpose
20of implementing the Healthy Local Food Incentives Program. All
21moneys received pursuant to this Section shall be deposited
22into the Healthy Local Food Incentives Fund.
23    (d) Subject to appropriation, the Department of Human
24Services shall make an annual grant of $500,000 from the Fund
25to a qualified Illinois non-profit organization or agency,
26which shall be distributed to participating Illinois farmers

 

 

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1markets for the purpose of providing matching dollar incentives
2(up to a specified amount) for the dollar value of SNAP
3benefits spent on FINI eligible fruits and vegetables at
4participating Illinois farmers markets and direct
5producer-to-consumer venues.
6    (e) The designated qualified non-profit organization or
7agency shall have a demonstrated track record of:
8        (1) building a statewide network;
9        (2) designing and implementing successful healthy food
10    incentive programs that connect SNAP recipients with local
11    producers;
12        (3) implementing funds distribution and reporting
13    processes;
14        (4) providing training and technical assistance to
15    farmers markets;
16        (5) conducting community outreach and data collection;
17    and
18        (6) providing full accounting and administration of
19    funds distributed to farmers markets.
20    (f) 100% of the moneys deposited into the Fund shall be
21distributed to participating Illinois farmers markets for
22healthy local food incentives.
23    (g) Within 90 days after the end of a grant cycle, the
24designated qualified non-profit organization or agency shall
25submit a progress report to the Department of Human Services.
26The progress report shall include the following information:

 

 

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1        (1) the names and locations of Illinois farmers markets
2    and direct producer-to-consumer venues that received funds
3    distributed under the Program;
4        (2) the dollar amount of funds awarded to each
5    participating Illinois farmers market and direct
6    producer-to-consumer venue;
7        (3) the dollar amount of SNAP benefits, and funds
8    provided under the Program, that were spent at Illinois
9    farmers markets participating in the Program, as well as
10    the dollar amount of any unspent funds available under the
11    Program;
12        (4) the number of SNAP transactions carried out
13    annually at participating Illinois farmers markets;
14        (5) the impact of the Program on increasing the
15    quantity of fresh fruits and vegetables consumed by SNAP
16    families, as determined by customer surveys.
17    (h) No later than December 31, 2017, the Department of
18Human Services shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of
19this Section.
20    (h-5) Subject to appropriation, each municipality with a
21community or geographical area that is identified as a food
22desert by the Department of Public Health in its annual report
23required under Section 2310-22 of the Department of Public
24Health Powers and Duties Law shall be eligible for grants from
25the Healthy Local Food Incentives Fund. Grants awarded under
26this subsection shall not exceed $500,000 for each

 

 

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1municipality. Municipalities that receive grants shall
2distribute the grant money to persons or entities seeking to
3establish a business within the community or geographical area
4that is identified as a food desert for the purpose of selling
5or distributing fresh fruits and vegetables. The Department may
6adopt any rules necessary to implement the provisions of this
7subsection.
8    (i) This Section is repealed on June 30, 2019.
9(Source: P.A. 99-928, eff. 1-20-17.)
 
10    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
11becoming law.