Bill Text: IL HB2531 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Grocery Initiative Act. Provides that Grocery Initiative Grants may be used to provide access to equipment that is needed to accept payment from the Women, Infant, Children's program (WIC). Makes changes to the definition of "grocery store" to include certain meat retailers, fruit and vegetable retailers, and fish and seafood retailers. Effective July 1, 2025.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-04 - Referred to Rules Committee [HB2531 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB2531-Introduced.html

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB2531 Introduced , by Rep. Mary Beth Canty SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
20 ILCS 750/5
20 ILCS 750/15
Amends the Grocery Initiative Act. Provides that Grocery Initiative Grants may be used to provide access to equipment that is needed to accept payment from the Women, Infant, Children's program (WIC). Makes changes to the definition of "grocery store" to include certain meat retailers, fruit and vegetable retailers, and fish and seafood retailers. Effective July 1, 2025.
LRB104 09581 HLH 19644 b
A BILL FOR
HB2531 LRB104 09581 HLH 19644 b
AN ACT concerning State government.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Grocery Initiative Act is amended by
changing Sections 5 and 15 as follows:
(20 ILCS 750/5)
Sec. 5. Definitions. In this Act:
"Cooperative" means an organization that is organized
according to the Co-operative Act.
"Department" means the Department of Commerce and Economic
Opportunity.
"Food desert" means a census tract that:
(1) meets one of the following poverty standards:
(A) the census tract has a poverty rate of at least
20%; or
(B) the census tract is not located within a
metropolitan statistical area and has a median family
income that is less than or equal to 80% of the
statewide median household income; or
(C) the census tract is located within a
metropolitan statistical area and has a median family
income that is less than or equal to 80% of the greater
of (i) the statewide median household income or (ii)

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the metropolitan area median family income; and
(2) meets one of the following population density and
food accessibility standards:
(A) the census tract is a rural tract, and at least
33% of the population of the tract or at least 500
residents in the tract reside more than 10 miles from
the nearest grocery store; or
(B) the census tract is an urban tract, and at
least 33% of the population of the tract or at least
500 residents in the tract reside more than one-half
mile from the nearest grocery store.
The Department may also designate an area that does not
meet the standards set forth in this definition as a food
desert if the designation is made in accordance with criteria
established by the Department by rule using data that
includes, but is not limited to, poverty metrics and access to
existing grocery stores.
"Grocery store" means an existing or planned retail
establishment that: (1) has or will have a primary business of
selling a variety of grocery products, including fresh
produce; (2) derives or will derive no more than 30% of its
revenue from sales of tobacco and alcohol in any given year;
(3) is or will be classified as (i) a supermarket or other
grocery retailer in the 2022 North American Industry
Classification System under code 445110, (ii) a meat retailer
in the 2022 North American Industry Classification System

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under code 44524, (iii) a fruit and vegetable retailer in the
2022 North American Industry Classification System under code
44523, or (iv) a fish and seafood retailer in the 2022 North
American Industry Classification System under code 44525; (4)
accepts or will accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program benefits and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program
for Women, Infants, and Children benefits; and (5) provides or
will provide for the retail sale of a substantial variety of
perishable foods, including fresh or frozen dairy products,
fresh produce, and fresh meats, poultry, and fish.
"Local governmental unit" means any county, municipality,
township, special district, or unit that is designated as a
unit of local government by law and exercises limited
governmental powers or powers in respect to limited
governmental subjects. "Local governmental unit" also includes
any school district or community college district.
"Not-for-profit corporation" means an organization or
institution that is organized and conducted on a
not-for-profit basis with no personal profit inuring to anyone
as a result of the operation and that is organized according to
the General Not For Profit Corporation Act of 1986.
"Rural tract" means a census tract that is not an urban
tract.
"Urban tract" means a census tract having its geographic
centroid in an urban area, as defined by the Bureau of the
Census for the most recent year in which all relevant data to

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identify food deserts is available.
(Source: P.A. 103-561, eff. 1-1-24.)
(20 ILCS 750/15)
Sec. 15. Grocery Initiative Grants and Financial Support.
(a) The Department shall, subject to appropriation,
establish the Grocery Initiative to expand access to healthy
foods in food deserts in Illinois and areas at risk of becoming
food deserts in Illinois by providing grants and other forms
of financial assistance to independently owned for-profit
grocery stores, cooperative grocery stores, or not-for-profit
grocery stores, as well as grocery stores owned and operated
by local governmental units. The Department may enter into
contracts, grants, or other agreements to administer these
grants and other forms of financial assistance. The Department
may, by rule, place limits on the size of the grocery stores
that are eligible for grants and other financial assistance
under this Act, including, but not limited to, limits on the
annual revenue or projected revenue of the applicant, number
of full-time employees, or square footage of the facilities.
The Department may prioritize grant awards and loan funding to
applicants based on poverty rates, income, geographic
diversity, local ownership, access to grocery stores in the
area surrounding proposed project locations, and other factors
as determined by the Department. The Department may award
grants or provide loans for any one or more of the following:

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(1) market and site feasibility studies, promotional
materials, and marketing;
(2) salaries and benefits for workers;
(3) rent or a down payment to acquire a facility;
(4) purchase of ownership of a grocery store as part
of establishing a new grocery store;
(5) capital improvements, planning, renovations, land
acquisition, demolition, durable and non-durable equipment
purchases; or
(6) other costs as determined eligible by the
Department.
(b) The Department may, subject to appropriation, provide
grants for equipment upgrades for existing independently owned
for-profit grocery stores, cooperative grocery stores,
not-for-profit grocery stores, or farmer-owned grocery stores
or markets. The Department shall use no more than 20% of total
program funding for this purpose. Equipment upgrades shall be
focused on providing access to equipment that is energy
efficient and to provide access to equipment that is needed to
accept payment from the Women, Infant, Children's program
(WIC).
(Source: P.A. 103-561, eff. 1-1-24; 103-957, eff. 1-1-25.)