Bill > HB580

This bill establishes the Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative, a state program designed to increase the availability of fresh and nutritious food by stimulating investment, job creation, and economic vitality for the construction, rehabilitation, or expansion of grocery stores, farmers markets, and other healthy food retail establishments in underserved and low-income or moderate-income communities in Pennsylvania. The program will be administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development, which may collaborate with the Department of Agriculture and partner with community development financial institutions (CDFIs) to raise capital, evaluate projects, and disburse financing. The bill also creates a restricted account in the General Fund to fund the program, with an annual transfer of $5 million from the General Fund starting in 2023.