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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB4721

Introduced , by Rep. Sonya M. Harper

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

20 ILCS 750/5
20 ILCS 750/15

Amends the Grocery Initiative Act. Provides that the Act also
includes grants and financial assistance for mobile farmers markets and
online farmers markets. Provides that, in addition to other purposes, the
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may award grants under the
Act for technology upgrades, including software and point-of-sale systems.
LRB104 20342 HLH 33793 b

A BILL FOR

HB4721
LRB104 20342 HLH 33793 b
1

AN ACT concerning finance.

2

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3
represented in the General Assembly:

4

Section 5.
The Grocery Initiative Act is amended by
5
changing Sections 5 and 15 as follows:

6

(20 ILCS 750/5)
7

Sec. 5.
Definitions.
In this Act:
8

"Cooperative" means an organization that is organized
9
according to the Co-operative Act.
10

"Department" means the Department of Commerce and Economic
11
Opportunity.
12

"Food desert" means a census tract that:
13

(1) meets one of the following poverty standards:
14

(A) the census tract has a poverty rate of at least
15

20%; or
16

(B) the census tract is not located within a
17

metropolitan statistical area and has a median family
18

income that is less than or equal to 80% of the
19

statewide median household income; or
20

(C) the census tract is located within a
21

metropolitan statistical area and has a median family
22

income that is less than or equal to 80% of the greater
23

of (i) the statewide median household income or (ii)

HB4721
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LRB104 20342 HLH 33793 b
1

the metropolitan area median family income; and
2

(2) meets one of the following population density and
3

food accessibility standards:
4

(A) the census tract is a rural tract, and at least
5

33% of the population of the tract or at least 500
6

residents in the tract reside more than 10 miles from
7

the nearest grocery store; or
8

(B) the census tract is an urban tract, and at
9

least 33% of the population of the tract or at least
10

500 residents in the tract reside more than one-half
11

mile from the nearest grocery store.
12

The Department may also designate an area that does not
13
meet the standards set forth in this definition as a food
14
desert if the designation is made in accordance with criteria
15
established by the Department by rule using data that
16
includes, but is not limited to, poverty metrics and access to
17
existing grocery stores.
18

"Grocery store" means an existing or planned retail
19
establishment that: (1) has or will have a primary business of
20
selling a variety of grocery products, including fresh
21
produce; (2) derives or will derive no more than 30% of its
22
revenue from sales of tobacco and alcohol in any given year;
23
(3) is or will be classified as a supermarket or other grocery
24
retailer in the 2022 North American Industry Classification
25
System under code 445110; (4) accepts or will accept
26
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits and Special

HB4721
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LRB104 20342 HLH 33793 b
1
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and
2
Children benefits; and (5) provides or will provide for the
3
retail sale of a substantial variety of perishable foods,
4
including fresh or frozen dairy products, fresh produce, and
5
fresh meats, poultry, and fish.
6

"Local governmental unit" means any county, municipality,
7
township, special district, or unit that is designated as a
8
unit of local government by law and exercises limited
9
governmental powers or powers in respect to limited
10
governmental subjects. "Local governmental unit" also includes
11
any school district or community college district.
12

"Mobile farmers market" means a farmers market operated
13
from a movable motor driven or propelled vehicle or trailer
14
that can change location, including a farmers market owned and
15
operated by a farmer or a third party that sells products on
16
behalf of farmers or cottage food operations with the intent
17
of a direct sale to an end consumer.

18

"Not-for-profit corporation" means an organization or
19
institution that is organized and conducted on a
20
not-for-profit basis with no personal profit inuring to anyone
21
as a result of the operation and that is organized according to
22
the General Not For Profit Corporation Act of 1986.
23

"Online farmers market" means an online marketplace that
24
sells products primarily from Illinois farmers and provides
25
delivery or pick-up options for consumers.

26

"Rural tract" means a census tract that is not an urban

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1
tract.
2

"Urban tract" means a census tract having its geographic
3
centroid in an urban area, as defined by the Bureau of the
4
Census for the most recent year in which all relevant data to
5
identify food deserts is available.
6
(Source: P.A. 103-561, eff. 1-1-24.)

7

(20 ILCS 750/15)
8

Sec. 15.
Grocery Initiative Grants and Financial Support.
9

(a) The Department shall, subject to appropriation,
10
establish the Grocery Initiative to expand access to healthy
11
foods in food deserts in Illinois and areas at risk of becoming
12
food deserts in Illinois by providing grants and other forms
13
of financial assistance to independently owned for-profit
14
grocery stores, cooperative grocery stores, or not-for-profit
15
grocery stores,
mobile farmers markets, online farmers
16
markets,
as well as grocery stores owned and operated by local
17
governmental units. The Department may enter into contracts,
18
grants, or other agreements to administer these grants and
19
other forms of financial assistance. The Department may, by
20
rule, place limits on the size of the
entities

grocery stores

21
that are eligible for grants and other financial assistance
22
under this Act, including, but not limited to, limits on the
23
annual revenue or projected revenue of the applicant, number
24
of full-time employees, or square footage of the facilities.
25
The Department may prioritize grant awards and loan funding to

HB4721
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LRB104 20342 HLH 33793 b
1
applicants based on poverty rates, income, geographic
2
diversity, local ownership, access to grocery stores in the
3
area surrounding proposed project locations, and other factors
4
as determined by the Department. The Department may award
5
grants or provide loans for any one or more of the following:
6

(1) market and site feasibility studies, promotional
7

materials, and marketing;
8

(2) salaries and benefits for workers;
9

(3) rent or a down payment to acquire a facility;
10

(4) purchase of ownership of a grocery store as part
11

of establishing a new grocery store;
12

(5) capital improvements, planning, renovations, land
13

acquisition, demolition, durable and non-durable equipment
14

purchases;
or
15

(6) technology upgrades, including software and
16

point-of-sale systems; or

17

(7)

(6)
other costs as determined eligible by the
18

Department.
19

(b) The Department may, subject to appropriation, provide
20
grants for equipment upgrades for existing independently owned
21
for-profit grocery stores, cooperative grocery stores,
22
not-for-profit grocery stores, or farmer-owned grocery stores
23
or markets. The Department shall use no more than 20% of total
24
program funding for this purpose. Equipment upgrades shall be
25
focused on providing access to equipment that is energy
26
efficient.

HB4721
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LRB104 20342 HLH 33793 b
1
(Source: P.A. 103-561, eff. 1-1-24; 103-957, eff. 1-1-25
.)

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