Food Desert Elimination Grant Program.
- Establishes a grant program to expand access to healthy foods in California's food desert communities.
- Provides funding for grocery stores to open new locations or maintain existing stores in underserved areas.
- Creates a dedicated Food Desert Elimination Fund to finance grocery store development and operations.
- Requires the Department of Food and Agriculture to report grant outcomes by January 2028.
Senator Rubio's Food Affordability Act establishes a grant program within California's Department of Food and Agriculture to expand access to healthy foods in areas designated as food deserts by the USDA Economic Research Service. The program provides financial support to grocery store operators seeking to establish new locations or maintain existing stores in underserved communities.
The legislation creates the Food Desert Elimination Fund to finance grants for market feasibility studies, employee compensation, facility acquisition, capital improvements, and equipment purchases. The Department may award grants to both traditional grocery stores (over 15,000 square feet) and small-scale retailers (under 15,000 square feet). The fund accepts state appropriations as well as federal and private contributions through a dedicated California Equitable Food Access Account.
The Department must report grant distribution data and recipient locations to legislative policy committees by January 2028. The program includes a 10% allocation for technical assistance and requires formal appropriation before implementation. Under the bill's sunset provision, the program expires on December 31, 2030, unless extended by future legislation.
 Jacqui IrwinD Assemblymember | Committee Member |  Not Contacted | |
 Cecilia Aguiar-CurryD Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
 Susan RubioD Senator | Bill Author | Not Contacted | |
 Juan AlanisR Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
 Damon ConnollyD Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted |
| Bill Number | Title | Introduced Date | Status | Link to Bill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
SB-1419 | Food Desert Elimination Grant Program. | February 2024 | Vetoed |
Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.
Introduced By
Latest Voting History
| Ayes | Noes | NVR | Total | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 0 | 1 | 8 | PASS |
- Establishes a grant program to expand access to healthy foods in California's food desert communities.
- Provides funding for grocery stores to open new locations or maintain existing stores in underserved areas.
- Creates a dedicated Food Desert Elimination Fund to finance grocery store development and operations.
- Requires the Department of Food and Agriculture to report grant outcomes by January 2028.
Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.
Introduced By
Senator Rubio's Food Affordability Act establishes a grant program within California's Department of Food and Agriculture to expand access to healthy foods in areas designated as food deserts by the USDA Economic Research Service. The program provides financial support to grocery store operators seeking to establish new locations or maintain existing stores in underserved communities.
The legislation creates the Food Desert Elimination Fund to finance grants for market feasibility studies, employee compensation, facility acquisition, capital improvements, and equipment purchases. The Department may award grants to both traditional grocery stores (over 15,000 square feet) and small-scale retailers (under 15,000 square feet). The fund accepts state appropriations as well as federal and private contributions through a dedicated California Equitable Food Access Account.
The Department must report grant distribution data and recipient locations to legislative policy committees by January 2028. The program includes a 10% allocation for technical assistance and requires formal appropriation before implementation. Under the bill's sunset provision, the program expires on December 31, 2030, unless extended by future legislation.
Latest Voting History
| Ayes | Noes | NVR | Total | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 0 | 1 | 8 | PASS |
Jacqui IrwinD Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
Cecilia Aguiar-CurryD Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
Susan RubioD Senator | Bill Author | Not Contacted | |
Juan AlanisR Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
Damon ConnollyD Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted |
| Bill Number | Title | Introduced Date | Status | Link to Bill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
SB-1419 | Food Desert Elimination Grant Program. | February 2024 | Vetoed |