101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB2538

 

Introduced , by Rep. Sonya M. Harper

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Healthy Food Program Development Act. Provides that the Department of Agriculture may coordinate with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to establish a Healthy Food Development Program to expand access to healthy foods in eligible areas in the State by providing assistance to grocery stores, corner stores, farmers' markets, and other small food retailers. Provides that the benefits provided shall be awarded to grocery stores, corner stores, farmers' markets, and other small food retailers in eligible areas on a competitive basis, with priority given to projects with the greatest potential impact to expand access to healthy foods ineligible areas that are underserved by retail sales of healthy food in the State. Provides requirements for participation in the program. Provides that the Department shall designate a grocery ambassador to assist retailers of healthy foods in the State by: (1) providing research and data on eligible areas with insufficient grocery access; (2) coordinating with the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and other relevant State agencies; (3) providing assistance to small grocery retailers in this State, including obtaining and expediting regulatory procedures; and (4) providing other assistance as needed. Provides that the Department of Agriculture, in coordination with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, shall convene a working group to develop a plan for establishing a commercial distribution system, for fresh produce and healthy foods to corner stores and other small food retailers.


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A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning healthy food access.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Healthy Food Program Development Act.
 
6    Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:
7    "Corner store" means a retail establishment that sells
8grocery products and has less than 5,000 square feet of selling
9area.
10    "Department" means the Department of Agriculture.
11    "Eligible area" means a historically underutilized
12business zone, as defined by 15 U.S.C. 632(p)(1).
13    "Farmers' market" means a public market at which farmers
14and other producers sell fresh produce and healthy foods.
15    "Grocery store" means a retail establishment that has: (1)
16a primary business of selling grocery products; (2) has at
17least 5,000 square feet of selling area that is used for a
18general line of food and non-food grocery products; and (3)
19meets the eligibility requirements for the federal
20Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
21    "Small food retailer" means a small business that is not a
22grocery store.
 

 

 

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1    Section 10. Healthy Food Development Program.
2    (a) The Department may coordinate with the Department of
3Commerce and Economic Opportunity to establish a Healthy Food
4Development Program to expand access to healthy foods in
5eligible areas in the State by providing assistance to grocery
6stores, corner stores, farmers' markets, and other small food
7retailers.
8    (b) The Department of Public Health, Environmental
9Protection Agency, and other relevant State agencies shall
10coordinate with the Department and the Department of Commerce
11and Economic Opportunity upon request to establish the Healthy
12Food Development Program.
 
13    Section 15. The Healthy Food Development Program benefits.
14    (a) The Healthy Food Development Program may provide a
15combination of any or all of the following benefits to grocery
16stores, corner stores, farmers' markets, or other small food
17retailers in eligible areas:
18        (1) grants;
19        (2) loans;
20        (3) State tax credits;
21        (4) equipment;
22        (5) other financial assistance; and
23        (6) technical assistance.
24    (b) The benefits provided in subsection (a) shall be
25awarded to grocery stores, corner stores, farmers' markets, and

 

 

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1other small food retailers in eligible areas on a competitive
2basis, with priority given to projects with the greatest
3potential impact to expand access to healthy foods in eligible
4areas that are underserved by retail sales of healthy food in
5this State.
6    (c) Grocery stores, corner stores, farmers' markets, and
7other small food retailers are encouraged to work cooperatively
8to expand access to healthy foods in eligible areas in this
9State.
10    (d) The Department and the Department of Commerce and
11Economic Opportunity may contract with non-profit
12organizations to promote and implement this program.
 
13    Section 20. Requirements.
14    (a) Grocery stores, corner stores, farmers' markets, and
15other small retailers participating in the Healthy Food
16Development Program shall be strongly encouraged to:
17        (1) apply and accept benefits from the federal
18    Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP);
19        (2) apply and accept benefits from the federal Women,
20    Infants, and Children (WIC) program; and
21        (3) employ residents of this State.
22    (b) Resources may be provided to assist grocery stores,
23corner stores, farmers' markets, and other small food retailers
24in acquiring the necessary technology to accept SNAP and WIC
25benefits.

 

 

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1    (c) As a condition of participating in the Healthy Food
2Development Program, persons or entities operating grocery
3stores, corner stores, farmers' markets, and other small food
4retailers shall agree in writing to sell produce or other
5healthy foods for at least 3 years; provided that this
6requirement is not applicable if the individual or entity, or
7its successor ceases all of its retail food sales operations.
 
8    Section 25. Grocery ambassador and working group.
9    (a) The Department shall designate a grocery ambassador to
10assist retailers of healthy foods in this State by: (1)
11providing research and data on eligible areas with insufficient
12grocery access; (2) coordinating with the Department and the
13Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and other
14relevant State agencies; (3) providing assistance to small
15grocery retailers in this State, including obtaining and
16expediting regulatory procedures; and (4) providing other
17assistance as needed.
18    (b) The Department, in coordination with the Department of
19Commerce and Economic Opportunity, shall convene a working
20group to develop a plan for establishing a commercial
21distribution system for fresh produce and healthy foods to
22corner stores and other small food retailers. These businesses
23shall be encouraged to work cooperatively to maximize their
24buying power.
25    (c) The working group shall include representatives from:

 

 

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1        (1) the Department and the Department of Commerce and
2    Economic Opportunity and other relevant State agencies;
3        (2) the grocery ambassador designated in subsection
4    (a);
5        (3) non-profit organizations;
6        (4) urban framers and community gardeners;
7        (5) corner stores and their trade associations; and
8        (6) produce wholesalers.
9    (d) The working group shall issue a report, including its
10recommendations to the General Assembly on or before December
1131, 2021.
12    (e) The Department and the Department of Commerce and
13Economic Opportunity may issue grants, on a competitive basis,
14for the establishment of a commercial distribution system for
15fresh produce and healthy foods.