H.B. No. 231 mandates the Department of State Health Services to conduct a comprehensive study on food deserts and their disproportionate impact on communities of color. The bill defines "food desert" as areas with limited access to healthy and nutritious food and outlines specific areas of investigation, including the causes, health effects, financial impacts, and demographic disparities related to food access. The department is tasked with developing recommendations for legislative and other actions to address these disparities and improve access to nutritious food.

The bill requires the department to submit a written report summarizing the study's findings and recommendations to each relevant legislative committee by September 1, 2026. Additionally, the act is set to expire on September 1, 2027, and will take effect on September 1, 2025.