BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 581
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 581 (John A. Pérez)
As Amended August 30, 2011
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |76-0 |(June 1, 2011) |SENATE: |30-7 |(August 31, |
| | | | | |2011) |
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Original Committee Reference: AGRI.
SUMMARY : Creates the California Healthy Food Financing
Initiative (CHFFI), the CHFFI fund and the CHFFI Council, for
the purpose of expanding access to healthy foods in underserved
communities. Requires the Secretary of the California
Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), by July 1, 2012, to
prepare recommended actions to be taken to promote food access
within California. Authorizes CDFA to create an Advisory Group
(AG), as specified. This authority remains in effect until
January 1, 2017.
The Senate amendments do the following:
1)Create a CHFFI Council, within the Office of the State
Treasurer, consisting of the following or their designee:
a) State Treasurer, who will also chair the council;
b) Secretary of CDFA;
c) Secretary of California Health and Human Services; and,
d) Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development.
2)Charge the council to implement the CHFFI and gives the
council the following duties:
a) Development of financing options using public and
private funds and resources to support access to healthy
foods;
b) Development of a program, including but not limited to,
defining eligible participants, determining minimum
eligibility requirements, establishing floors and caps for
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financial assistance;
c) Further the CHFFI by partnering with federal, state, or
local government agencies, nonprofits organizations and
philanthropic programs; and,
d) Review recommendations of the AG and report to the
legislature as requested.
3)Limit the AG to no more than 21 members and add to the list of
required participants in the AG, representatives from
underserved communities, philanthropic organizations, health
care providers, and others.
4)Conform language by deleting the requirement for CDFA to
consult with specified state entities for the implementation
and maximizing of funding opportunities of the CHFFI.
5)Add two years to the sunset date of the CHFFI, making it
January 1, 2017.
6) Delete and add to the Legislative findings and add
co-authors.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill was substantially similar
to the version approved by the Senate.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, the dollars to implement CHHFI are unknown but would
likely need millions of dollars annually from various available
sources. This bill does not appropriate any funds. Funding for
the program would be appropriated by the Legislature and may
include but is not limited or required to include, state,
federal and/or private resources.
COMMENTS : Senate amendments place the funding and
implementation of the CHFFI under the Office of the State
Treasurer, which has the authority, experience and staff for
such activities. Extending the sunset to five years will
provide a greater opportunity to implement the CHFFI and
infrastructure needs. Other changes are technical and
conforming.
An increasing problem within urban and rural communities in
California, and nation-wide, is the access to grocery stores and
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the availability of fresh produce, creating what is called "food
deserts." A food desert is a geographic area with limited
access to affordable, quality, and nutritious foods.
In February of 2010, the Obama Administration announced details
of Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) and committed over
$400 million to the program, which will help bring grocery
stores and other healthy food retailers to underserved urban and
rural communities across the nation.
This bill is modeled after the HFFI and is intended to use a
wide variety of funding sources that can be leveraged in order
to accomplish the goal of elimination of food deserts. Creation
of the CHFFI provides an opportunity to address the serious
problem of lack of healthy foods in underserved communities and
is intended to lead to a healthier population.
Analysis Prepared by : Jim Collin / AGRI. / (916) 319-2084
FN: 0002654