An act to add and repeal Chapter 15 (commencing with Section 49030) of Division 17 of the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to food, and making an appropriation therefor. food.
SB 18 would create the Food Desert Elimination Grant Program within the Department of Food and Agriculture to expand access to healthy foods in California food deserts and in areas at risk of becoming food deserts. The program would provide grants to grocery store operators to help open new grocery stores or support existing stores in underserved areas. Eligible uses include feasibility studies, employee salaries and benefits, rent or down payments, capital improvements, planning, renovations, land acquisition, demolition, and equipment purchases. The department could also award grants to small-scale grocery stores and use up to 10 percent of program funding for technical assistance.
The bill also creates a Food Desert Elimination Fund in the General Fund and a California Equitable Food Access Account within that fund. The department would be allowed to collect nonstate, federal, and private funds, with those deposits continuously appropriated to the department for program purposes. The program would be contingent on a legislative appropriation, the department could adopt implementation guidelines, and the chapter would sunset on December 31, 2030. The department would be required to report grant awards and recipient locations to the Legislature by January 1, 2028.
SB 18 would add a new chapter to the Food and Agricultural Code establishing a state grant program focused on food access and grocery retail development in food deserts. It would create new funding mechanisms, including a General Fund account and a continuously appropriated account for nonstate, federal, and private funds, and would authorize the Department of Food and Agriculture to administer grants and issue guidelines. The bill would not directly regulate grocery pricing or retail operations statewide, but it would affect grocery store operators, especially those seeking to locate or expand in underserved communities, and it would create reporting obligations for the department.
The available voting history suggests broad support for the bill at the committee and floor levels, with multiple unanimous or near-unanimous votes and no recorded opposition in the provided data. The bill advanced through committee with amendments and was placed on suspense before continuing forward, indicating fiscal review but not clear substantive resistance. Overall, the sentiment appears favorable, reflecting interest in improving food access and supporting grocery development in underserved areas.
The main points of contention appear to be fiscal and implementation-related rather than ideological. Because the bill creates an appropriation, establishes a new fund, and allows continuous appropriation of certain moneys, it was referred to appropriations and placed on suspense, suggesting concern about budget impact and funding availability. The bill also limits eligibility to grocery store operators and defines grocery stores by square footage, which may raise questions about whether smaller retailers, community markets, or other food providers are adequately included. No committee transcript objections were provided, so any substantive policy disagreement is not evident in the available record.