By: Rodriguez of Travis	H.B. No. 1485

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	rel
	ating to the establishment of a Texas grocery access investment
	fund program.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Title 2, Agriculture Code, is amended by adding
	Chapter 26 to read as follows:
	CHAPTER 26.  TEXAS GROCERY ACCESS INVESTMENT FUND
	Sec. 26.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
	(1)  "Financing" means loans and grants and/or
	forgivable loans.
	(2)  "Fund" means the Texas grocery access investment
	fund established by this chapter.
	(3)  "Grocery store" means a for-profit or not-for
	profit self-service retail establishment that primarily sells
	meat, seafood, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, dry groceries,
	household products, and sundries.
	(4)  "Low Income area" means a census tract (as
	reported in the most recently completed decennial census published
	by the United States Bureau of the Census) that has a poverty rate
	of at least 20 percent or in which the median family income does not
	exceed 81 percent of the greater of the statewide or metropolitan
	median family income.
	(5)  "Moderate Income area" means a census tract in
	which the median family income is between 81 and 95 percent of the
	area median family income.
	(6)  "Program" means the Texas grocery access
	investment fund program authorized by this chapter.
	(7)  "Supplemental nutrition assistance program" means
	the nutritional assistance program formerly referred to as the food
	stamp program.
	(8)  "Underserved Community" means a census tract
	determined to be an area with low supermarket access by either the
	U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), as identified in the USDA's
	Food Access Research Atlas, or through a methodology that has been
	adopted for use by another governmental or philanthropic healthy
	food initiative.
	(9)  "WIC program" means the federal special
	supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children
	authorized by 42 U.S.C. Section 1786.
	Sec. 26.002.  TEXAS GROCERY ACCESS INVESTMENT FUND PROGRAM.
	(a)  The Texas Department of Agriculture, in cooperation
	with public and private sector partners, shall establish the Texas
	Grocery Access Investment Fund program to provide Financing to
	construct, rehabilitate or expand grocery stores in Underserved
	Communities in urban and rural Low and Moderate Income Areas.
	(b)  The Texas Grocery Access Investment Fund shall be
	comprised of money appropriated by the legislature, as well as
	federal, state, or private grants or loans, federal tax credits, or
	other type of financial assistance, for the construction or
	expansion of grocery stores to expand access to fresh produce and
	other nutritious foods in Underserved Communities.
	(c)  Monies in the Fund shall be expended upon appropriation
	by the Legislature, and shall be used, to the extent practicable, to
	leverage other forms of financing.  No less than 25 percent of the
	monies in the Fund shall be expended in the form of grants or
	forgivable loans.
	Sec. 26.003.  ADMINISTRATION OF THE TEXAS GROCERY ACCESS
	INVESTMENT FUND. (a)  The Texas Department of Agriculture shall
	contract with one or more qualified nonprofit organizations or
	community development financial institutions to administer this
	program through a public-private partnership.  The nonprofit
	organizations or community development financial institution will
	establish program guidelines, raise matching funds, promote the
	program statewide, evaluate applicants, underwrite and disburse
	grants and loans, and monitor compliance and impact.  The Texas
	Department of Agriculture shall develop rules, regulations, or
	other procedures to carry out the program to meet the intent of this
	Chapter.  No more than 10 percent of the monies in the Fund shall be
	reserved for administrative and operational costs to manage the
	program, unless those costs are provided for from other budgets or
	in-kind resources.
	(b)  The Texas Department of Agriculture shall establish
	monitoring and accountability mechanisms for projects receiving
	Financing and shall report annually to the Legislature on the
	projects funded, the geographic distribution of the projects, the
	costs of startup and administering the program, and the outcomes,
	including the number and type of jobs created and health impact
	associated with the program.
	(c)  Project eligibility for Financing.  The Texas
	Department of Agriculture shall create eligibility guidelines and
	provide Financing through an application process.  Projects must be
	located in an Underserved Community and primarily serve Low or
	Moderate Income Areas.  Projects eligible for financing are:
	(1)  Construction of new grocery stores and
	(2)  Store renovations, expansion, and infrastructure
	upgrades that improve the availability and quality of fresh produce
	and other healthy foods.
	(d)  Qualifications for receiving Financing.  An applicant
	for Financing may be a for-profit or not-for profit entity,
	including but not limited to, a sole proprietorship, partnership,
	limited liability company, corporation, cooperative, nonprofit
	organization, nonprofit community development entity, university,
	or government entity.  An applicant for Financing must:
	(1)  Demonstrate the capacity to successfully
	implement the project and the likelihood that the project will be
	economically self-sustaining;
	(2)  Demonstrate the ability to repay the debt; and
	(3)  Agree, for period of at least [five] years, to
	comply with the following conditions:
	(4)  To accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
	Program (SNAP) benefits.
	(5)  To apply to accept Special Supplemental Nutrition
	Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits and accept
	WIC benefits, if approved.
	(6)  To allocate at least 30 percent of food retail
	space for the sale of perishable foods, which may include fresh or
	frozen dairy, fresh produce, whole grains, fresh meats, poultry,
	and fish.
	(7)  To comply with all data collection and reporting
	requirements established by the Texas Department of Agriculture.
	(8)  The degree to which the entity's proposed grocery
	store would promote the sale of fresh produce, including
	Texas-grown fruits and vegetables; and Texas-raised fresh meat,
	poultry and seafood products.
	(9)  To promote the hiring of local residents.
	(e)  Criteria for selecting projects for Financing.  In
	determining which qualified projects to finance, the Texas
	Department of Agriculture shall consider:
	(1)  The level of need in the area to be served;
	(2)  The degree to which the project requires an
	investment of public financing to move forward, create impact, or
	be competitive, and the level of need in the area to be served;
	(3)  The degree to which the project will have a
	positive economic impact on the underserved community, including by
	creating or retaining jobs for local residents;
	(4)  The degree to which the project will work with
	state and local health department initiatives or Texas Agri-Life to
	educate consumers on nutrition and promote healthier eating; and
	(5)  Other criteria the department/agency determines
	to be consistent with the purposes of this Chapter.
	(f)  Eligible costs.  Financing made available for projects
	may be used for the following purposes:
	(1)  Site acquisition and preparation;
	(2)  Construction and build-out costs;
	(3)  Equipment and furnishings;
	(4)  Workforce training or security;
	(5)  Pre-development costs such as market studies and
	appraisals;
	(6)  Energy-efficiency measures; and
	(7)  Working capital for first-time inventory and
	start-up costs.
	SECTION 2.  Not later than December 1, 2015, the Texas
	Department of Agriculture shall adopt rules to administer Chapter
	26, Agriculture Code, as added by this Act.
	SECTION 3.  Not later than December 15, 2015, the Texas
	Department of Agriculture shall contract with one or more
	non-profit organizations or a community development financial
	institution provided by Section 26.003, Agriculture Code, as added
	by this Act.
	SECTION 4.  Not later than January 15, 2016, the Texas
	Department of Agriculture shall transfer money to the Texas Grocery
	Access Investment Fund.
	SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.