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As Introduced
136th
General Assembly
Regular
Session
H. B. No. 543
2025-2026
Representatives Upchurch, Williams
Cosponsors: Representatives Brownlee,
Mohamed, Lett, McNally, Brennan
To
enact section 122.162 of the Revised Code
to
create a food desert elimination grant program and to make an
appropriation.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section
1.
That
section 122.162 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:
Sec.
122.162.
(A)
As used in this section, "food desert" means a geographic
area in which residents have limited access to fruits, vegetables,
and other healthful foods, through grocery stores, farmer's markets,
or other food providers, as identified by the United States
department of agriculture food access research atlas.
(B)
The department of development shall establish and administer a food
desert elimination grant program to incentivize the establishment of
grocery stores in food deserts to provide access to healthy food in
this state. The department may adopt requirements and procedures as
are necessary to implement and administer the program. An individual
grocery retailer shall not receive a grant that exceeds fifteen
thousand dollars during a fiscal year.
(C)
To qualify for a grant under this section, a grocery retailer shall
meet both of the following requirements:
(1)
It sells or proposes to sell fresh fruit, vegetables, shelf-stable
items, and other healthful foods to consumers.
(2)
It has established or proposes to establish a grocery store in a food
desert.
(D)
The department shall develop an application process that applicants
shall utilize to receive a grant under this section. The application
shall include a requirement that documentation be included with the
application to verify that the grocery retailer is or will be located
in a food desert and has plans to sell fresh fruits, vegetables,
shelf-stable items, and other healthful foods.
(E)
Any grocery retailer that receives a grant under this section shall
provide quarterly reports to the department. The quarterly reports
shall include the amount of state funds granted, the health impact of
the program, and any other information that the department considers
necessary for program evaluation and oversight.
Section
2.
All
items in this act are hereby appropriated as designated out of any
moneys in the state treasury to the credit of the designated fund.
For all operating appropriations made in this act, those in the first
column are for fiscal year 2026 and those in the second column are
for fiscal year 2027. The operating appropriations made in this act
are in addition to any other operating appropriations made for these
fiscal years.
Section
3.
1
2
3
4
5
A
DEV
DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT
B
General
Revenue Fund
C
GRF
195415
Business
Development Services
$200,000
$200,000
D
TOTAL
GRF General Revenue Fund
$200,000
$200,000
E
TOTAL
ALL BUDGET FUND GROUPS
$200,000
$200,000
BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
The
foregoing appropriation item 195415, Business Development Services,
shall be used to support the activities of the food desert
elimination grant program established under section 122.162 of the
Revised Code.
Section
4.
Within
the limits set forth in this act, the Director of Budget and
Management shall establish accounts indicating the source and amount
of funds for each appropriation made in this act, and shall determine
the manner in which appropriation accounts shall be maintained.
Expenditures from operating appropriations contained in this act
shall be accounted for as though made in, and are subject to all
applicable provisions of, H.B. 96 of the 136th General Assembly.