Bill > AB1221

Introduced Session

This bill creates the Wisconsin Public Food Administration Authority. The bill provides that the mission of the authority is to ensure universal access to affordable, nutritious food by supporting local governments in the development and operation of public grocery stores and operating a statewide public food distribution network that lowers costs, stabilizes prices, supports workers, and prioritizes food- insecure communities. Under the bill, the authority must administer a statewide public food distribution network to distribute products and services to public grocery stores, cooperatives and employee-owned grocery stores, public schools, and state buildings and programs. Under the bill, the services that the authority provides include 1) bulk purchasing of groceries, using local farmers and small businesses; negotiating purchase prices of food and products; 3) funding and management of the shipping of groceries; and 4) assistance, training, and operational and administrative support. The bill also requires the authority to support the planning, development, and ongoing operations of public grocery stores and allows the authority to award grants for public grocery stores. The bill requires the authority to prioritize financial support for communities the authority determines to be food insecure. The bill requires the authority to define small, medium, and large categories for public grocery stores and provide different requirements for small, medium, and large public grocery stores, including cost-sharing, operating hours, and amenities. The bill requires the authority to establish standards for public grocery stores, including all of the following: and ease of use for shoppers; 2) accessibility requirements; 3) environmentally sustainable, cost-effective construction practices; and 4) a consistent visual identity and architectural character. The bill also requires the authority to establish pricing for products in public grocery stores. Under the bill, the price of a product generally may not exceed 5 percent of the amount paid to acquire the product. Additionally, the authority may authorize a price that is up to 30 percent under the amount paid to acquire a product for food-insecure areas that the authority determines are priority; for products that the authority designates as staple goods; for limited promotional periods; for states of emergency; or for other periods, as determined by the authority. Finally, the bill requires the authority to report annually to the legislature on performance metrics for public grocery stores, financial status information, and recommendations for statutory changes. The bill provides a process under which a local governmental unit may apply to the authority to be a member of the food distribution network and house a public grocery store. A local governmental unit must submit the following information: 1) the location and size of the public grocery store; 2) a financing plan for the development and operation of the public grocery store, including requests for financial support from the authority; and 3) an explanation of how the applicant will further the authority’s mission. The authority must complete a feasibility review of an application within 60 days of receipt and assess all of the following with regard to the local governmental unit: 1) its food insecurity index; 2) the ratio of grocery cost to income in the local governmental unit; and 3) the distance to the nearest full-service grocery store. If the authority approves the application, the authority must notify the applicant when construction or logistical setup will begin. The authority may award a grant to the local governmental unit. The bill sets forth requirements for public grocery stores, including requiring all public grocery stores to accept benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or the food stamp program) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (the WIC program); to provide customers with wireless Internet access, high quality food, a fresh food section, medication and medical supplies, and free high-quality, nontoxic menstrual products; and to compensate employees with prevailing or collectively bargained wages. The bill also allows the authority to require larger stores, as determined by the authority, to offer additional amenities such as a full-service section with hot food prepared daily, a cafeteria and a seating area for shoppers to eat meals, a coffee shop, a full-service bakery, a full-service pharmacy, a community center, a study area, childcare, an affordable public or social housing development, and access to health care or mental health care. Under the bill, the authority may order temporary closure, restructuring, or transfer of management of a public grocery store if, in the authority’s opinion, continued operation poses a financial risk or the public grocery store fails to meet goals or violates standards set by the authority. For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Ryan Clancy (D)*,  Angelina Cruz (D)*,  Francesca Hong (D)*,  Darrin Madison (D)*,  Christian Phelps (D)*,  Pricilla Prado (D)*,  Christine Sinicki (D)*, 

Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 (on 03/23/2026)

Official Document