Assembly Bill 1221 establishes the Wisconsin Public Food Administration Authority, aimed at ensuring universal access to affordable and nutritious food. The authority will support local governments in developing and operating public grocery stores and will manage a statewide public food distribution network. Key functions of the authority include bulk purchasing from local farmers, negotiating food prices, and providing operational support to public grocery stores. The bill mandates that the authority prioritize financial assistance for food-insecure communities and sets standards for public grocery stores regarding functionality, accessibility, and pricing, with specific provisions for food-insecure areas.

Additionally, the bill outlines the application process for local governmental units to join the food distribution network and operate public grocery stores. It requires these stores to accept benefits from programs like SNAP and WIC, provide essential services, and ensure fair employee compensation. The authority is also empowered to enforce compliance with operational standards and may temporarily close or restructure stores that do not meet established goals. The bill includes various amendments to existing statutes to incorporate the new authority, including the addition of the Wisconsin Public Food Administration Authority in multiple sections of the law.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 7.33(1)(c), 7.33, 13.172(1), 13.172, 13.62(2), 13.62, 13.94(4)(a)1, 13.94, 13.95(intro.), 13.95, 16.002(2), 16.002, 16.004(4), 16.004, 16.004(5), 16.004(12)(a), 16.01(1), 16.01, 16.045(1)(a), 16.045, 16.41(4), 16.41, 16.417(1)(b), 16.417, 16.52(7), 16.52, 16.528(1)(a), 16.528, 16.53(2), 16.53, 16.54(9)(a)1, 16.54, 16.70(2), 16.70, 16.75(1m), 16.75, 16.765(1), 16.765