Bill Text: FL S0112 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Healthy Food Financing Initiative Program

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2024-03-08 - Died in Agriculture [S0112 Detail]

Download: Florida-2024-S0112-Introduced.html
       Florida Senate - 2024                                     SB 112
       
       
        
       By Senator Jones
       
       
       
       
       
       34-00191-24                                            2024112__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Healthy Food Financing
    3         Initiative program; providing a directive to the
    4         Division of Law Revision; transferring, renumbering,
    5         and amending s. 500.81, F.S.; redefining the term
    6         “underserved community”; revising requirements for the
    7         administration of and participation in the program;
    8         providing program eligibility requirements for
    9         nonprofit organizations and revising eligibility
   10         requirements for community development financial
   11         institutions; revising the duties of the Department of
   12         Agriculture and Consumer Services and third-party
   13         administrators; revising requirements for program
   14         applicants and projects; revising the purposes for
   15         which project funding may be used; requiring the
   16         Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government
   17         Accountability to review the program and collected
   18         data after a specified timeframe and provide the
   19         Legislature with a specified report; specifying that
   20         program funding is subject to and provided from
   21         certain appropriations; deleting a prohibition
   22         relating to funding distribution; amending ss.
   23         595.401, 595.402, 595.404, 595.408, and 595.501, F.S.;
   24         conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
   25         providing an effective date.
   26          
   27  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   28  
   29         Section 1. The Division of Law Revision is directed to
   30  rename chapter 595, Florida Statutes, entitled “School Food and
   31  Nutrition Services,” as “Food and Nutrition.”
   32         Section 2. Section 500.81, Florida Statutes, is
   33  transferred, renumbered as section 595.801, and amended to read:
   34         595.801 500.81 Healthy Food Financing Initiative.—
   35         (1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
   36         (a) “Community facility” means a property owned by a
   37  nonprofit or for-profit entity in which health and human
   38  services are provided and space is offered in a manner that
   39  provides increased access to, or delivery or distribution of,
   40  food or other agricultural products to encourage public
   41  consumption and household purchases of fresh produce or other
   42  healthy food to improve the public health and well-being of low
   43  income children, families, and older adults.
   44         (b) “Department” means the Department of Agriculture and
   45  Consumer Services.
   46         (c) “Independent grocery store or supermarket” means an
   47  independently owned grocery store or supermarket whose parent
   48  company does not own more than 40 grocery stores throughout the
   49  country based upon ownership conditions as identified in the
   50  latest Nielsen TDLinx Supermarket/Supercenter database.
   51         (d) “Low-income community” means a population census tract,
   52  as reported in the most recent United States Census Bureau
   53  American Community Survey, which meets one of the following
   54  criteria:
   55         1. The poverty rate is at least 20 percent;
   56         2. In the case of a low-income community located outside of
   57  a metropolitan area, the median family income does not exceed 80
   58  percent of the statewide median family income; or
   59         3. In the case of a low-income community located inside of
   60  a metropolitan area, the median family income does not exceed 80
   61  percent of the statewide median family income or 80 percent of
   62  the metropolitan median family income, whichever is greater.
   63         (e) “Program” means the Healthy Food Financing Initiative
   64  established by the department.
   65         (f) “Underserved community” means a low-income community
   66  distressed urban, suburban, or rural geographic area where a
   67  substantial number of residents have low access to a full
   68  service supermarket or grocery store. An area with limited
   69  supermarket access must be:
   70         1. A census tract, as determined to be an area with low
   71  access by the United States Department of Agriculture, as
   72  identified in the Food Access Research Atlas;
   73         2. Identified as a limited supermarket access area as
   74  recognized by the Community Development Financial Institutions
   75  Fund of the United States Department of the Treasury; or
   76         3. Identified as an area with low access to a supermarket
   77  or grocery store through a methodology that has been adopted for
   78  use by another governmental initiative, or a well-established or
   79  well-regarded philanthropic healthy food initiative.
   80         (2) HEALTHY FOOD FINANCING INITIATIVE.—The department shall
   81  establish a Healthy Food Financing Initiative program that
   82  provides grants and loans is composed of and coordinates the use
   83  of grants from any source; federal, state, and private loans
   84  from a governmental entity or institutions regulated by a
   85  governmental entity; federal tax credits; and other types of
   86  financial assistance for the construction, rehabilitation, or
   87  expansion of independent grocery stores, supermarkets, community
   88  facilities, or other retail outlets structures to increase
   89  access to affordable fresh produce and other nutritious food in
   90  underserved communities.
   91         (3) THIRD-PARTY ADMINISTRATORS; QUALIFICATIONS.—
   92         (a) The department may contract with one or more qualified
   93  nonprofit organizations or Florida-based federally certified
   94  community development financial institutions to administer the
   95  program through a public-private partnership.
   96         (b) A qualified nonprofit organization must be able to
   97  demonstrate all of the following:
   98         1. Prior experience in healthy food financing.
   99         2.An exemption from taxation under s. 501(c)(3) of the
  100  Internal Revenue Code.
  101         3.The ability to successfully manage and operate lending
  102  and grant programs.
  103         4.The ability to assume full financial risk for loans made
  104  under the program.
  105         (c) Eligible community development financial institutions
  106  must be able to demonstrate all of the following:
  107         1. Prior experience in healthy food financing.
  108         2. Certification by Support from the Community Development
  109  Financial Institutions Fund of the United States Department of
  110  the Treasury.
  111         3. The ability to successfully manage and operate lending
  112  and tax credit programs.
  113         4. The ability to assume full financial risk for loans made
  114  under the program this initiative.
  115         (d)Any third-party administrator that contracts with the
  116  department shall provide quarterly updates to the department.
  117         (4)(b)DUTIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OR THIRD-PARTY
  118  ADMINISTRATOR.—The department or a third-party administrator
  119  shall do all of the following:
  120         (a)1. Establish program guidelines, raise matching funds,
  121  promote the program statewide, evaluate applicants, make award
  122  decisions, underwrite and disburse grants and loans, and monitor
  123  compliance and impact. The department may contract with a third
  124  party administrator to carry out such duties. If the department
  125  contracts with a third-party administrator, funds shall be
  126  granted to the third-party administrator to create a revolving
  127  loan fund for the purpose of financing projects that meet the
  128  criteria of the program. The third-party administrator shall
  129  report to the department annually.
  130         (b)2. Create eligibility guidelines and provide financing
  131  through an application process. Eligible projects must:
  132         a. Be located in an underserved community;
  133         b. Primarily serve low-income communities; and
  134         c. Provide for the renovation or expansion of, including
  135  infrastructure upgrades to, existing independent grocery stores
  136  or supermarkets; or the renovation or expansion of, including
  137  infrastructure upgrades to, community facilities to improve the
  138  availability and quality of fresh produce and other healthy
  139  foods.
  140         (c)3. Report annually to the President of the Senate and
  141  the Speaker of the House of Representatives on the projects
  142  funded, the geographic distribution of the projects, the costs
  143  of the program, and the outcomes, including the number and type
  144  of jobs created.
  145         (4)(a) The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government
  146  Accountability shall review the program and data collected from
  147  the department after a term of 7 years and report to the
  148  President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
  149  Representatives. The report shall include, but is not limited
  150  to, health impacts based on data collected by the state on
  151  diabetes, heart disease and other obesity-related diseases, and
  152  other factors as determined by the department.
  153         (b) If the report determines the program to be unsuccessful
  154  after 7 years, the department shall create guidelines for unused
  155  funds to be returned to the initial investor.
  156         (5) PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS.—Entities that may apply for
  157  funding under the program include A for-profit entities entity,
  158  including a convenience stores store or a fueling stations; and
  159  station, or a not-for-profit entities entity, including, but not
  160  limited to, a sole proprietorships, partnerships proprietorship,
  161  partnership, limited liability companies, corporations,
  162  cooperatives company, corporation, cooperative, nonprofit
  163  organizations organization, nonprofit community development
  164  entities entity, or private universities university, may apply
  165  for financing.
  166         (a)A program An applicant for financing must do all of the
  167  following:
  168         1.(a) Demonstrate the capacity to successfully implement
  169  the project and the likelihood that the project will be
  170  economically self-sustaining.;
  171         2.(b) Demonstrate the ability to repay the loan.; and
  172         (c)Agree, as an independent grocery store or supermarket,
  173  for at least 5 years, to:
  174         3.1. Accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
  175  benefits and;
  176         2. Apply to accept Special Supplemental Nutrition Program
  177  for Women, Infants, and Children benefits. and accept such
  178  benefits, if approved;
  179         4.3.For independent grocery stores and supermarkets,
  180  allocate at least 30 percent of floor food retail space for the
  181  sale of perishable foods, which may include fresh or frozen
  182  dairy products, fresh produce, and fresh meats, poultry, and
  183  fish.;
  184         5.4. Comply with all data collection and reporting
  185  requirements established by the department.; and
  186         6.5. Promote the hiring of local residents.
  187         (b)The department shall give preference to Florida-based
  188  grocers, local business owners with experience in grocery
  189  stores, and grocers and business owners with a business plan
  190  that includes written documentation of opportunities to purchase
  191  from farmers and growers in this state before seeking out-of
  192  state purchases.
  193         (6)PROJECT ELIGIBILITY.—
  194         (a)To be eligible for funding under the program, a project
  195  must:
  196         1.Be located in an underserved community; and
  197         2. Provide for the construction of independent grocery
  198  stores or supermarkets; renovation, expansion, and
  199  infrastructure upgrades to stores and community facilities which
  200  improve the availability and quality of fresh produce and other
  201  healthy foods; or other projects that create or improve access
  202  to affordable fresh produce which meet the intent of this
  203  section, as determined by the department or a third-party
  204  administrator.
  205         (b) Projects including, but not limited to, corner stores,
  206  bodegas, or other types of nontraditional grocery stores that do
  207  not meet the 30 percent floor space minimum in subparagraph
  208  (5)(a)4. may 3. can still qualify for funding if such funding
  209  will be used for refrigeration, displays, or other one-time
  210  capital expenditures to promote the sale of fresh produce and
  211  other healthy foods.
  212         (6) In determining which qualified projects to finance, the
  213  department or third-party administrator shall:
  214         (a) Give preference to local Florida-based grocers or local
  215  business owners with experience in grocery stores and to grocers
  216  and business owners with a business plan model that includes
  217  written documentation of opportunities to purchase from Florida
  218  farmers and growers before seeking out-of-state purchases;
  219         (b) Consider the level of need in the area to be served;
  220         (c) Consider the degree to which the project will have a
  221  positive economic impact on the underserved community, including
  222  the creation or retention of jobs for local residents;
  223         (d) Consider the location of existing independent grocery
  224  stores, supermarkets, or other markets relevant to the
  225  applicant’s project and provide the established entity the right
  226  of first refusal for such project; and
  227         (e) Consider other criteria as determined by the
  228  department.
  229         (c)(7)A minimum of three eligible projects shall be funded
  230  annually. Financing under this program for eligible projects may
  231  be used for any of the following purposes:
  232         1.(a) Site acquisition and preparation.
  233         2.(b) Construction and build-out costs.
  234         3.(c) Equipment and furnishings.
  235         4.(d) Workforce training or security.
  236         5.(e) Predevelopment costs, such as market studies and
  237  appraisals.
  238         6.(f) Energy efficiency measures.
  239         7.(g) Working capital for first-time inventory and startup
  240  costs, including seeds and starter plants for residential
  241  produce cultivation.
  242         (h) Acquisition of seeds and starter plants for the
  243  residential cultivation of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and other
  244  culinary products. However, only 7 percent of the total funds
  245  expended in any one project under this section may be used for
  246  such acquisition.
  247         8.(i) Other purposes as determined necessary and reasonable
  248  by the department or a third-party administrator.
  249         (7)PROGRAM REVIEW.—
  250         (a)Beginning July 1, 2024, the Office of Program Policy
  251  Analysis and Government Accountability shall review the program
  252  and data collected from the department for 7 years and provide a
  253  report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
  254  House of Representatives by July 1, 2032. The report must
  255  include economic impact and health outcomes data and other
  256  factors as determined by the department.
  257         (b)If the report determines the program to be unsuccessful
  258  after the 7-year period, the department must return any initial
  259  funds that have not been loaned, granted, or leveraged in a
  260  revolving loan fund to the General Revenue Fund.
  261         (8)FUNDING.—The department’s performance and obligation to
  262  pay under this section is contingent upon an annual
  263  appropriation by the Legislature as provided in s. 287.0582. If
  264  the department contracts with a third-party administrator, funds
  265  must be advanced from the department’s annual appropriation to
  266  the third-party administrator in order to implement this
  267  section.
  268         (9)(8)RULES.—The department shall adopt rules to
  269  administer this section.
  270         (9) The department may not distribute more than $500,000
  271  among more than three recipients.
  272         Section 3. Section 595.401, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  273  read:
  274         595.401 Short title.—Sections 595.401-595.601 This chapter
  275  may be cited as the “Florida School Food and Nutrition Act.”
  276         Section 4. Section 595.402, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  277  read:
  278         595.402 Definitions.—As used in this act chapter, the term:
  279         (1) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Agriculture.
  280         (2) “Department” means the Department of Agriculture and
  281  Consumer Services.
  282         (3) “Program” means any one or more of the school food and
  283  nutrition service programs that the department has
  284  responsibility over including, but not limited to, the National
  285  School Lunch Program, the Special Milk Program, the School
  286  Breakfast Program, the Summer Food Service Program, the Fresh
  287  Fruit and Vegetable Program, and any other program that relates
  288  to school nutrition.
  289         (4) “School breakfast program” means a program authorized
  290  by s. 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended, and
  291  administered by the department.
  292         (5) “School district” means any of the 67 county school
  293  districts, including the respective district school board.
  294         (6) “Sponsor” means any entity that is conducting a program
  295  under a current agreement with the department.
  296         (7) “Summer nutrition program” means one or more of the
  297  programs authorized under 42 U.S.C. s. 1761.
  298         (8) “Universal school breakfast program” means a program
  299  that makes breakfast available at no cost to all students
  300  regardless of their household income.
  301         Section 5. Subsections (3), (9), (10), (11), (13), and (16)
  302  of section 595.404, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  303         595.404 School food and other nutrition programs; powers
  304  and duties of the department.—The department has the following
  305  powers and duties:
  306         (3) To fully cooperate with the United States Government
  307  and its agencies and instrumentalities so that the department
  308  may receive the benefit of all federal financial allotments and
  309  assistance possible to carry out the purposes of this act
  310  chapter.
  311         (9) To employ such persons as are necessary to perform its
  312  duties under this act chapter.
  313         (10) To adopt rules covering the administration, operation,
  314  and enforcement of the program and the farmers’ market nutrition
  315  program, as well as to implement the provisions of this act
  316  chapter.
  317         (11) To adopt and implement an appeal process by rule, as
  318  required by federal regulations, for applicants and participants
  319  under the programs implemented pursuant to this act chapter,
  320  notwithstanding ss. 120.569 and 120.57-120.595.
  321         (13) To advance funds from the program’s annual
  322  appropriation to a summer nutrition program sponsor, when
  323  requested, in order to implement the provisions of this act
  324  chapter and in accordance with federal regulations.
  325         (16) To adopt and implement an exemption, waiver, and
  326  variance process by rule, as required by federal regulations,
  327  for sponsors under the programs implemented pursuant to this act
  328  chapter, notwithstanding s. 120.542.
  329         Section 6. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) and subsections
  330  (2) and (4) of section 595.408, Florida Statutes, are amended to
  331  read:
  332         595.408 Food distribution services; department
  333  responsibilities and functions.—
  334         (1)
  335         (b) The department shall determine the benefits each
  336  applicant or recipient of assistance is entitled to receive
  337  under this act chapter, provided that each applicant or
  338  recipient is a resident of this state and a citizen of the
  339  United States or is an alien lawfully admitted for permanent
  340  residence or otherwise permanently residing in the United States
  341  under color of law.
  342         (2) The department shall cooperate fully with the United
  343  States Government and its agencies and instrumentalities so that
  344  the department may receive the benefit of all federal financial
  345  allotments and assistance possible to carry out the purposes of
  346  this act chapter.
  347         (4) This act chapter does not limit, abrogate, or abridge
  348  the powers and duties of any other state agency.
  349         Section 7. Subsection (2) of section 595.501, Florida
  350  Statutes, is amended to read:
  351         595.501 Corrective action plans; penalties.—
  352         (2) Any person or sponsor that violates any provision of
  353  this act chapter or any rule adopted thereunder or otherwise
  354  does not comply with the program is subject to a suspension or
  355  revocation of their agreement, loss of reimbursement, or a
  356  financial penalty in accordance with federal or state law, or
  357  both. This section does not restrict the applicability of any
  358  other law.
  359         Section 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.

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