HB 543

As Introduced
136th General Assembly
   Regular Session  H. B. No. 543
       2025-2026
  Representatives Upchurch, Williams
   Cosponsors: Representatives Brownlee, Mohamed, Lett, McNally, Brennan
  To enact section 122.162 of the Revised Code to  1
  create a food desert elimination grant program  2
  and to make an appropriation.  3
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
     Section 1. That section 122.162 of the Revised Code be  4
enacted to read as follows:  5
     Sec. 122.162. (A) As used in this section, "food desert"  6
means a geographic area in which residents have limited access  7
to fruits, vegetables, and other healthful foods, through  8
grocery stores, farmer's markets, or other food providers, as  9
identified by the United States department of agriculture food  10
access research atlas.  11
     (B) The department of development shall establish and  12
administer a food desert elimination grant program to  13
incentivize the establishment of grocery stores in food deserts  14
to provide access to healthy food in this state. The department  15
may adopt requirements and procedures as are necessary to  16
implement and administer the program. An individual grocery  17
retailer shall not receive a grant that exceeds fifteen thousand  18
dollars during a fiscal year.  19
H. B. No. 543  Page 2
As Introduced
  (C) To qualify for a grant under this section, a grocery  20
retailer shall meet both of the following requirements:  21
  (1) It sells or proposes to sell fresh fruit, vegetables,  22
shelf-stable items, and other healthful foods to consumers.  23
  (2) It has established or proposes to establish a grocery  24
store in a food desert.  25
  (D) The department shall develop an application process  26
that applicants shall utilize to receive a grant under this  27
section. The application shall include a requirement that  28
documentation be included with the application to verify that  29
the grocery retailer is or will be located in a food desert and  30
has plans to sell fresh fruits, vegetables, shelf-stable items,  31
and other healthful foods.  32
  (E) Any grocery retailer that receives a grant under this  33
section shall provide quarterly reports to the department. The  34
quarterly reports shall include the amount of state funds  35
granted, the health impact of the program, and any other  36
information that the department considers necessary for program  37
evaluation and oversight.  38
  Section 2. All items in this act are hereby appropriated  39
as designated out of any moneys in the state treasury to the  40
credit of the designated fund. For all operating appropriations  41
made in this act, those in the first column are for fiscal year  42
2026 and those in the second column are for fiscal year 2027.  43
The operating appropriations made in this act are in addition to  44
any other operating appropriations made for these fiscal years.  45
  Section 3.  46
  47
     1  2  3  4  5
H. B. No. 543  Page 3
As Introduced
A  DEV DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT
B   General Revenue Fund
C   GRF     195415 Business Development  $200,000     $200,000
  Services
D   TOTAL GRF General Revenue Fund  $200,000     $200,000
E   TOTAL ALL BUDGET FUND GROUPS  $200,000     $200,000
  BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES  48
  The foregoing appropriation item 195415, Business  49
Development Services, shall be used to support the activities of  50
the food desert elimination grant program established under  51
section 122.162 of the Revised Code.  52
  Section 4. Within the limits set forth in this act, the  53
Director of Budget and Management shall establish accounts  54
indicating the source and amount of funds for each appropriation  55
made in this act, and shall determine the manner in which  56
appropriation accounts shall be maintained. Expenditures from  57
operating appropriations contained in this act shall be  58
accounted for as though made in, and are subject to all  59
applicable provisions of, H.B. 96 of the 136th General Assembly.  60