California Assembly Bill AB2246 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2246AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 23, 2012 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 16, 2012 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 29, 2012 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member John A. Prez FEBRUARY 24, 2012 An act to amend Section 104661 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to public health. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2246, as amended, John A. Prez. Public health: food access. Existing law establishes, until July 1, 2017, the California Healthy Food Financing Initiative to expand access to nutritious foods in underserved, urban, and rural communities. Existing law establishes the California Healthy Food Financing Initiative Council and requires the council to implement the initiative. Existing law requires the council, among other things, to develop financing options using public or private moneys and resources to support access to healthy foods. This bill would require the council  , by March 31, 2013,  to establish and maintain an Internet Web site  with   . This bill would   require the Internet Web site, by March 31, 2013, to include, but not be limited to,  prescribed information, including information on actions that the council has taken and funding sources that are available to support access to healthy foods. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 104661 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 104661. (a) There is hereby created the California Healthy Food Financing Initiative Council, within the office of the Treasurer, which shall consist of the following members: (1) The Treasurer or his or her designee. (2) The Secretary of Food and Agriculture or his or her designee. (3) The Secretary of California Health and Human Services or his or her designee. (4) The Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development or his or her designee. (b) The council shall implement the California Healthy Food Financing Initiative (CHFFI) and shall be chaired by the Treasurer or his or her designee. This initiative is intended to expand access to nutritious foods in underserved, urban, and rural communities and to eliminate food deserts in California. (c) The council shall have all of the following duties: (1) Developing financing options, using public or private moneys and resources, to support access to healthy foods for all Californians. (2) Developing program parameters, including, but not limited to, all of the following: (A) Defining eligible entities for participation. (B) Developing minimum eligibility thresholds for participation. (C) Establishing minimum and maximum levels of financial assistance. (3) Partnering with federal, state, or local government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and philanthropic programs to further the purposes of the initiative. (4) Reviewing recommendations of the advisory group established pursuant to Section 104662. (5) Providing updates to the Legislature as requested. (d) The council shall adopt all rules and regulations necessary to implement the initiative. (e) The council shall establish  , by March 31, 2013,  and maintain an Internet Web site. The Internet Web site shall  , by March 31, 2013,  include, but not be limited to, the following information: (1) Actions taken by the council. (2) Funding sources that are available to support access to healthy foods, including loans and grants from public, private, or philanthropic sources, and how to obtain these sources of funding. (3) Interagency activities among the office of the Treasurer, the Department of Food and Agriculture, the California Health and Human Services Agency, and the Labor and Workforce Development Agency that focus on benefiting underserved communities and increasing access to healthy foods. (4) Resources and links to other Internet Web sites with information on food deserts and increasing access to healthy foods.