Indiana 2025 Regular Session

Indiana Senate Bill SB0474 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2	Introduced Version
3	3	SENATE BILL No. 474
4	4	_____
5	5	DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL
6	6	Citations Affected: IC 16-18-2; IC 16-42-12.5.
7	7	Synopsis: Food desert grant program. Establishes the food desert grant
8	8	program (program) within the Indiana department of health (ISDH) to
9	9	assist new and existing retail businesses or nonprofit corporations in
10	10	offering fresh and unprocessed foods within a "food desert" (an
11	11	underserved geographic area where, as determined by the ISDH,
12	12	affordable fresh, unprocessed, and healthy foods are difficult to obtain).
13	13	Provides that a grant awarded under the program may be used to
14	14	establish a new retail grocery store or to renovate, expand, or upgrade
15	15	an existing retail business that will increase the availability and quality
16	16	of fresh produce and other unprocessed and healthy foods. Requires the
17	17	ISDH to consider certain criteria when determining whether to award
18	18	a grant and requires the recipient of a grant to abide by certain terms
19	19	and conditions. Establishes the food desert fund for purposes of
20	20	awarding grants under the program. Requires the ISDH to report on the
21	21	program annually to the general assembly. Makes an appropriation.
22	22	Effective: July 1, 2025.
23	23	Jackson L
24	24	January 13, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Agriculture.
25	25	2025 IN 474—LS 6956/DI 150 Introduced
26	26	First Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2025)
27	27	PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
28	28	Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
29	29	additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
30	30	Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
31	31	provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
32	32	word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
33	33	a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
34	34	Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
35	35	between statutes enacted by the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
36	36	SENATE BILL No. 474
37	37	A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
38	38	health and to make an appropriation.
39	39	Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
40	40	1 SECTION 1. IC 16-18-2-136.5 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA
41	41	2 CODE AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS
42	42	3 [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 136.5. "Food desert", for
43	43	4 purposes of IC 16-42-12.5, has the meaning set forth in
44	44	5 IC 16-42-12.5-1.
45	45	6 SECTION 2. IC 16-18-2-143, AS AMENDED BY P.L.1-2010,
46	46	7 SECTION 69, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
47	47	8 JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 143. (a) "Fund", for purposes of IC 16-26-2, has
48	48	9 the meaning set forth in IC 16-26-2-2.
49	49	10 (b) "Fund", for purposes of IC 16-31-8.5, has the meaning set forth
50	50	11 in IC 16-31-8.5-2.
51	51	12 (c) "Fund", for purposes of IC 16-41-39.4, refers to the childhood
52	52	13 lead poisoning prevention fund established by IC 16-41-39.4-3.1.
53	53	14 (d) "Fund", for purposes of IC 16-41-39.8, refers to the lead trust
54	54	15 fund established by IC 16-41-39.8-7.
55	55	16 (e) "Fund", for purposes of IC 16-42-12.5, has the meaning set
56	56	17 forth in IC 16-42-12.5-2.
57	57	2025 IN 474—LS 6956/DI 150 2
58	58	1 (e) (f) "Fund", for purposes of IC 16-46-5, has the meaning set forth
59	59	2 in IC 16-46-5-3.
60	60	3 (f) (g) "Fund", for purposes of IC 16-46-12, has the meaning set
61	61	4 forth in IC 16-46-12-1.
62	62	5 (g) (h) "Fund", for purposes of IC 16-41-42.2, has the meaning set
63	63	6 forth in IC 16-41-42.2-2.
64	64	7 (h) (i) "Fund", for purposes of IC 16-35-8, has the meaning set forth
65	65	8 in IC 16-35-8-2.
66	66	9 SECTION 3. IC 16-42-12.5 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
67	67	10 AS A NEW CHAPTER TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
68	68	11 JULY 1, 2025]:
69	69	12 Chapter 12.5. Food Desert Grant Program
70	70	13 Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "food desert" means an
71	71	14 underserved geographic area where, as determined by the state
72	72	15 department, affordable fresh, unprocessed, and healthy foods are
73	73	16 difficult to obtain.
74	74	17 Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "fund" means the food desert
75	75	18 fund established by section 6 of this chapter.
76	76	19 Sec. 3. (a) The food desert grant program is established within
77	77	20 the state department to assist:
78	78	21 (1) new retail businesses;
79	79	22 (2) existing retail businesses;
80	80	23 (3) new nonprofit corporations exempt from federal income
81	81	24 taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
82	82	25 Code; or
83	83	26 (4) existing nonprofit corporations exempt from federal
84	84	27 income taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal
85	85	28 Revenue Code;
86	86	29 in offering fresh, unprocessed, and healthy foods within a food
87	87	30 desert. A grant awarded under the program may be used to
88	88	31 establish a new retail grocery store or to renovate, expand, or
89	89	32 upgrade an existing retail business that will increase the
90	90	33 availability and quality of fresh produce and other unprocessed
91	91	34 and healthy foods.
92	92	35 (b) The state department shall establish criteria for awarding
93	93	36 grants under this chapter. The criteria must include the following:
94	94	37 (1) The level of need for fresh and unprocessed foods in the
95	95	38 area to be served.
96	96	39 (2) The extent to which the prospective grant recipient needs
97	97	40 a grant to:
98	98	41 (A) proceed with a fresh, unprocessed, and healthy foods
99	99	42 project;
100	100	2025 IN 474—LS 6956/DI 150 3
101	101	1 (B) address the need for fresh, unprocessed, and healthy
102	102	2 foods in a food desert; or
103	103	3 (C) be sustainable in the area to be served.
104	104	4 (3) The overall positive effect that the prospective grant
105	105	5 recipient's project will have on the underserved community,
106	106	6 including creating and continuing to provide jobs for local
107	107	7 residents.
108	108	8 (4) The degree to which the prospective grant recipient will
109	109	9 participate in state department and local health department
110	110	10 initiatives to educate consumers on nutrition and promote
111	111	11 healthier eating.
112	112	12 (5) Other criteria that are determined by the state department
113	113	13 and consistent with this chapter.
114	114	14 (c) The recipient of a grant must abide by the terms and
115	115	15 conditions established for grant recipients by the state department
116	116	16 and must do the following:
117	117	17 (1) Allow the state department to conduct an annual audit to
118	118	18 ensure compliance with the terms and conditions.
119	119	19 (2) Agree to repay the grant amount to the state department
120	120	20 if the recipient is not compliant with the terms and conditions.
121	121	21 (3) Comply with data collection and reporting requirements
122	122	22 established by the state department.
123	123	23 (d) The state department may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2
124	124	24 necessary to administer the food desert grant program.
125	125	25 Sec. 4. The state department may work with public agencies,
126	126	26 nonprofit organizations, and community organizations to
127	127	27 implement this chapter.
128	128	28 Sec. 5. In awarding grants under this chapter, the state
129	129	29 department may consider whether a project will leverage private
130	130	30 sector dollars, federal resources, or local resources.
131	131	31 Sec. 6. (a) The food desert fund is established for the purpose of
132	132	32 awarding grants under the food desert grant program established
133	133	33 by section 3 of this chapter.
134	134	34 (b) The fund shall be administered by the state department.
135	135	35 (c) The expenses of administering the fund shall be paid from
136	136	36 money in the fund.
137	137	37 (d) The treasurer of state shall invest the money in the fund not
138	138	38 currently needed to meet the obligations of the fund in the same
139	139	39 manner as other public money may be invested.
140	140	40 (e) The sources of money for the fund are the following:
141	141	41 (1) Appropriations from the general assembly.
142	142	42 (2) Donations, gifts, and money received from any other
143	143	2025 IN 474—LS 6956/DI 150 4
144	144	1 source, including transfers from other funds or accounts.
145	145	2 (f) Money in the fund at the end of a state fiscal year does not
146	146	3 revert to the state general fund but remains in the fund to be used
147	147	4 exclusively for the purposes of this chapter.
148	148	5 Sec. 7. The state department shall submit an annual report on
149	149	6 the activities of the food desert grant program to the general
150	150	7 assembly in an electronic format under IC 5-14-6.
151	151	8 SECTION 4. [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025] (a) There is
152	152	9 appropriated to the food desert fund established by
153	153	10 IC 16-42-12.5-6, as added by this act, for the biennium beginning
154	154	11 July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2027, two million dollars
155	155	12 ($2,000,000) from the state general fund for the purpose of
156	156	13 establishing and operating the food desert grant program
157	157	14 established by IC 16-42-12.5-3, as added by this act.
158	158	15 (b) This section expires July 1, 2027.
159	159	2025 IN 474—LS 6956/DI 150