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    © 2025 Veeto.
    SB-18
    Agriculture & Food

    Food Desert Elimination Grant Program.

    Engrossed
    CA
    ∙
    2025-2026 Regular Session
    3
    0
    Track
    Track

    Key Takeaways

    • 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.

    Summary

    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.

    Key Dates

    Next Step
    Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Appropriations
    Next Step
    Assembly Committee
    Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Appropriations
    Hearing has not been scheduled yet
    Assembly Agriculture Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Agriculture Hearing
    Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
    Vote on Senate Floor
    Senate Floor
    Vote on Senate Floor
    Special Consent SB18 Rubio et al
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Do pass
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Placed on suspense file
    Senate Agriculture Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Agriculture Hearing
    Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]
    Introduced
    Senate Floor
    Introduced
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

    Contacts

    Profile
    Joaquin ArambulaD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Buffy WicksD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Susan RubioD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Lisa CalderonD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Mike FongD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    0 of 19 row(s) selected.
    Page 1 of 4
    Select All Legislators
    Profile
    Joaquin ArambulaD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Buffy WicksD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Susan RubioD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Lisa CalderonD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Mike FongD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Diane DixonR
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Gregg HartD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Blanca PachecoD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Gail PellerinD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Kate SanchezR
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Tri TaR
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Angelique AshbyD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Jessica CalozaD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Jeff GonzalezR
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Mark GonzalezD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Heather HadwickR
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Chris RogersD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Jose SolacheD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Sade ElhawaryD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member

    Similar Past Legislation

    Bill NumberTitleIntroduced DateStatusLink to Bill
    SB-1419
    Food Desert Elimination Grant Program.
    February 2024
    Vetoed
    View Bill
    Showing 1 of 1 items
    Page 1 of 1

    Get Involved

    Act Now!

    Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

    Introduced By

    Susan Rubio
    Susan RubioD
    California State Senator
    Co-Authors
    Jeff Gonzalez
    Jeff GonzalezR
    California State Assembly Member
    Angelique Ashby
    Angelique AshbyD
    California State Senator
    Heather Hadwick
    Heather HadwickR
    California State Assembly Member
    Chris Rogers
    Chris RogersD
    California State Assembly Member
    40% progression
    Bill has passed all readings in its first house and is ready to move to the other house (5/29/2025)

    Latest Voting History

    View History
    July 2, 2025
    PASS
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Agriculture Hearing
    AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
    7018PASS

    Key Takeaways

    • 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.

    Get Involved

    Act Now!

    Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

    Introduced By

    Susan Rubio
    Susan RubioD
    California State Senator
    Co-Authors
    Jeff Gonzalez
    Jeff GonzalezR
    California State Assembly Member
    Angelique Ashby
    Angelique AshbyD
    California State Senator
    Heather Hadwick
    Heather HadwickR
    California State Assembly Member
    Chris Rogers
    Chris RogersD
    California State Assembly Member

    Summary

    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.

    40% progression
    Bill has passed all readings in its first house and is ready to move to the other house (5/29/2025)

    Key Dates

    Next Step
    Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Appropriations
    Next Step
    Assembly Committee
    Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Appropriations
    Hearing has not been scheduled yet
    Assembly Agriculture Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Agriculture Hearing
    Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
    Vote on Senate Floor
    Senate Floor
    Vote on Senate Floor
    Special Consent SB18 Rubio et al
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Do pass
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Placed on suspense file
    Senate Agriculture Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Agriculture Hearing
    Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]
    Introduced
    Senate Floor
    Introduced
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

    Latest Voting History

    View History
    July 2, 2025
    PASS
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Agriculture Hearing
    AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
    7018PASS

    Contacts

    Profile
    Joaquin ArambulaD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Buffy WicksD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Susan RubioD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Lisa CalderonD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Mike FongD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    0 of 19 row(s) selected.
    Page 1 of 4
    Select All Legislators
    Profile
    Joaquin ArambulaD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Buffy WicksD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Susan RubioD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Lisa CalderonD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Mike FongD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Diane DixonR
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Gregg HartD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Blanca PachecoD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Gail PellerinD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Kate SanchezR
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Tri TaR
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Angelique AshbyD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Jessica CalozaD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Jeff GonzalezR
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Mark GonzalezD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Heather HadwickR
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Chris RogersD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Jose SolacheD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Sade ElhawaryD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member

    Similar Past Legislation

    Bill NumberTitleIntroduced DateStatusLink to Bill
    SB-1419
    Food Desert Elimination Grant Program.
    February 2024
    Vetoed
    View Bill
    Showing 1 of 1 items
    Page 1 of 1