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1 | AN ACT concerning public aid.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 5. The State Finance Act is amended by adding | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Section 5.866 as follows:
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6 | (30 ILCS 105/5.866 new) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | Sec. 5.866. The Healthy Local Food Incentives Fund.
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8 | Section 10. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | adding Section 12-4.49 as follows:
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10 | (305 ILCS 5/12-4.49 new) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | Sec. 12-4.49. Healthy Local Food Incentives Program. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | (a) Legislative findings. Diet and other lifestyle choices | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | contribute to more than half of all deaths in Illinois. Health | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | risk factors include smoking, obesity, stress, nutrition, high | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | blood pressure, and alcohol and drug use. Illinois residents | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | should be encouraged to adopt diets and lifestyles that lead to | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | wellness. The State can help provide that encouragement by | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
18 | funding wellness programs that enhance the health of Illinois | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | residents. Healthy local food incentives, which are currently | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | provided under the Double Value Coupon incentive programs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
21 | funded by LINK Up Illinois, encourage wellness among some of |
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1 | the most vulnerable residents of Illinois (those whose incomes | ||||||
2 | are below the poverty line and who often have limited access to | ||||||
3 | fresh, healthy, and affordable foods) by doubling the | ||||||
4 | purchasing power of LINK cardholders at farmers markets across | ||||||
5 | the State. The benefits of such a program include: an increase | ||||||
6 | in population health, Medicaid health care cost savings, | ||||||
7 | decreased incidence of preventable diseases, increased revenue | ||||||
8 | for Illinois small farmers, and economic stimulus for the | ||||||
9 | region. | ||||||
10 | (b) Definitions. As used in this Section: | ||||||
11 | "LINK card" means an electronic benefits transfer card | ||||||
12 | issued by the Department of Human Services for the purpose of | ||||||
13 | enabling a user of the card to obtain SNAP benefits or cash. | ||||||
14 | "SNAP" means the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance | ||||||
15 | Program. | ||||||
16 | "WIC" means the
federal Special Supplemental Food Program | ||||||
17 | for Women, Infants and
Children created by federal Public Law | ||||||
18 | 92-433. | ||||||
19 | (c) The Department of Human Services shall establish a | ||||||
20 | Healthy Local Food Incentives Program to double the purchasing | ||||||
21 | power of Illinois residents with limited access to fresh fruits | ||||||
22 | and vegetables. The Healthy Local Food Incentives Fund is | ||||||
23 | created as a special fund in the State treasury for the purpose | ||||||
24 | of implementing the Healthy Local Food Incentives Program. All | ||||||
25 | monies received pursuant to this Section shall be deposited | ||||||
26 | into the Healthy Local Food Incentives Fund. |
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1 | (d) Subject to appropriations, the Department of Human | ||||||
2 | Services shall make an annual grant of $1,000,000 from the Fund | ||||||
3 | to a qualified Illinois non-profit organization or agency, | ||||||
4 | which shall be distributed to participating Illinois farmers | ||||||
5 | markets for the purpose of providing matching dollar incentives | ||||||
6 | (up to a specified amount) for the dollar value of SNAP or WIC | ||||||
7 | benefits spent on SNAP or WIC eligible food products at | ||||||
8 | participating Illinois farmers markets and | ||||||
9 | producer-to-consumer venues. | ||||||
10 | (e) The designated qualified non-profit organization or | ||||||
11 | agency shall have a demonstrated track record of: | ||||||
12 | (1) building a statewide network; | ||||||
13 | (2) designing and implementing successful healthy food | ||||||
14 | incentive programs that connect SNAP recipients with local | ||||||
15 | producers; | ||||||
16 | (3) implementing funds distribution and reporting | ||||||
17 | processes; | ||||||
18 | (4) providing training and technical assistance to | ||||||
19 | farmers markets; | ||||||
20 | (5) conducting community outreach and data collection; | ||||||
21 | and | ||||||
22 | (6) providing full accounting and administration of | ||||||
23 | funds distributed to farmers markets. | ||||||
24 | (f) At least 60% of the monies deposited into the Fund | ||||||
25 | shall be distributed to participating Illinois farmers markets | ||||||
26 | for healthy local food incentives and program implementation. A |
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1 | maximum of 40% of the monies deposited into the Fund shall be | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | used for statewide program development, promotion and | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | outreach, farmers market training and capacity building, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | technical assistance, program data collection, evaluation, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | administration, and reporting. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | (g) Within 90 days after the end of a grant cycle, the | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | designated qualified non-profit organization or agency shall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | submit a progress report to the Department of Human Services. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | The progress report shall include the following information: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | (1) the names and locations of Illinois farmers markets | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | and direct producer-to-consumer venues that received funds | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | distributed under the Program; | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | (2) the dollar amount of funds awarded to each | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | participating Illinois farmers market and direct | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | producer-to-consumer venue; | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | (3) the dollar amount of SNAP and WIC benefits, and | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | funds provided under the Program, that were spent at | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
18 | Illinois farmers markets participating in the Program, as | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | well as the dollar amount of any unspent funds available | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | under the Program; | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
21 | (4) the number of SNAP transactions carried out | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 | annually at participating Illinois farmers markets; | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
23 | (5) the impact of the Program on increasing the | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
24 | quantity of fresh fruits and vegetables consumed by SNAP | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
25 | and WIC families, as determined by customer surveys.
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