EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1434*
HOUSE BILL 1434
C9 5lr3353
CF SB 353
By: Delegate Amprey
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2025
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Food Deserts Workgroup – Establishment 2
FOR the purpose of establishing the Food Deserts Workgroup to study and make 3
recommendations regarding solutions to eliminate food deserts in the State; and 4
generally relating to the Food Deserts Workgroup. 5
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 6
That: 7
(a) There is a Food Deserts Workgroup. 8
(b) The Workgroup consists of the following members: 9
(1) two members of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the President of 10
the Senate; 11
(2) two members of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of 12
the House; 13
(3) the Secretary of Aging, or the Secretary’s designee; 14
(4) the Secretary of Agriculture, or the Secretary’s designee; 15
(5) the Secretary of Commerce, or the Secretary’s designee; 16
(6) the Secretary of Health, or the Secretary’s designee; 17
(7) the Secretary of Housing and Community Development, or the 18
Secretary’s designee; 19
(8) the Secretary of Human Services, or the Secretary’s designee; 20 2 HOUSE BILL 1434
(9) the Secretary of Planning, or the Secretary’s designee; 1
(10) the State Superintendent of Schools, or the State Superintendent’s 2
designee; 3
(11) one member of the Maryland Food System Resiliency Council, 4
designated by the Secretary of Emergency Management; 5
(12) one representative of the Maryland Municipal League, designated by 6
the Chief Executive Officer of the Maryland Municipal League; and 7
(13) the following representatives of the Maryland Association of Counties, 8
designated by the Executive Director of the Maryland Association of Counties: 9
(i) one representative from a rural county; 10
(ii) one representative from a suburban county; and 11
(iii) one representative from Baltimore City. 12
(c) The members of the Workgroup shall elect the chair of the Workgroup. 13
(d) The Department of Housing and Community Development shall provide staff 14
for the Workgroup. 15
(e) A member of the Workgroup: 16
(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Workgroup; but 17
(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 18
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 19
(f) The Workgroup shall: 20
(1) conduct an analysis of food deserts in the State that includes: 21
(i) a discussion of the overall concept of food deserts and the location 22
of food deserts in the State; 23
(ii) an examination of the health impacts of food deserts on the local 24
population, including any related environmental concerns, and the impacts of food deserts 25
on the economy; 26
(iii) an assessment of strategies to attract grocery stores and 27
supermarket retailers to identified food deserts and any associated costs, including a review 28 HOUSE BILL 1434 3
of existing incentives and available financing programs in this State and in other states; 1
and 2
(iv) any other topic, as determined by the Workgroup, related to food 3
deserts; and 4
(2) prepare a report that includes: 5
(i) key findings from the Workgroup’s analysis conducted under 6
paragraph (1) of this subsection; and 7
(ii) recommendations regarding solutions to eliminate food deserts 8
in the State. 9
(g) On or before November 1, 2025, the Workgroup shall submit the report of its 10
findings and recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the 11
State Government Article, the General Assembly, the Senate Committee on Education, 12
Energy, and the Environment, the Senate Finance Committee, the House Economic 13
Matters Committee, and the House Environment and Transportation Committee. 14
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall ta ke effect July 15
1, 2025. It shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and, at the end of June 30, 2026, this 16
Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and of no 17
further force and effect. 18