As Introduced

136th General Assembly

Regular Session H. B. No. 543

2025-2026

To enact section 122.162 of the Revised Code to create a food desert elimination grant program and to make an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. That section 122.162 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 122.162. (A) As used in this section, "food desert" means a geographic area in which residents have limited access to fruits, vegetables, and other healthful foods, through grocery stores, farmer's markets, or other food providers, as identified by the United States department of agriculture food access research atlas.

(B) The department of development shall establish and administer a food desert elimination grant program to incentivize the establishment of grocery stores in food deserts to provide access to healthy food in this state. The department may adopt requirements and procedures as are necessary to implement and administer the program. An individual grocery retailer shall not receive a grant that exceeds fifteen thousand dollars during a fiscal year.

(1) It sells or proposes to sell fresh fruit, vegetables, shelf-stable items, and other healthful foods to consumers.

(2) It has established or proposes to establish a grocery store in a food desert.

(D) The department shall develop an application process that applicants shall utilize to receive a grant under this section. The application shall include a requirement that documentation be included with the application to verify that the grocery retailer is or will be located in a food desert and has plans to sell fresh fruits, vegetables, shelf-stable items, and other healthful foods.

(E) Any grocery retailer that receives a grant under this section shall provide quarterly reports to the department. The quarterly reports shall include the amount of state funds granted, the health impact of the program, and any other information that the department considers necessary for program evaluation and oversight.

Section 2. All items in this act are hereby appropriated as designated out of any moneys in the state treasury to the credit of the designated fund. For all operating appropriations made in this act, those in the first column are for fiscal year 2026 and those in the second column are for fiscal year 2027. The operating appropriations made in this act are in addition to any other operating appropriations made for these fiscal years.

Section 3.

	1	2	3	4	5
A	DEV DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT
B	General Revenue Fund
C	GRF	195415	Business Development Services	$200,000	$200,000
D	TOTAL GRF General Revenue Fund			$200,000	$200,000
E	TOTAL ALL BUDGET FUND GROUPS			$200,000	$200,000

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

The foregoing appropriation item 195415, Business Development Services, shall be used to support the activities of the food desert elimination grant program established under section 122.162 of the Revised Code.

Section 4. Within the limits set forth in this act, the Director of Budget and Management shall establish accounts indicating the source and amount of funds for each appropriation made in this act, and shall determine the manner in which appropriation accounts shall be maintained. Expenditures from operating appropriations contained in this act shall be accounted for as though made in, and are subject to all applicable provisions of, H.B. 96 of the 136th General Assembly.