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Committee recommits Healthy Food Retail study bill to finance after LSU AgCenter flags staffing and funding gaps
Summary
Representative Landry's bill to study food deserts and create a 10-year plan was reported without action and recommitted to the finance committee after LSU AgCenter representatives said they lack capacity and funding to conduct the study as written and senators raised concerns about a possible $100,000 fiscal impact.
Representative Landry presented the Healthy Food Retail Act, which would direct the LSU AgCenter to map food deserts, assess local supply of fresh produce and suggest a 10-year strategy to address gaps. Landry said the measure grew from post-Katrina efforts and aims to make it easier for fresh-food retail to operate in underserved communities.
Dr. Ashley Mullins of the LSU AgCenter told the committee the center had only been contacted the night before and is concerned it lacks the staffing and funding to perform the full study as drafted, noting that the AgCenter’s nutrition department recently lost SNAP-Ed federal funds and that some tasks in the bill are outside the center’s current scope without additional resources.
Committee members raised fiscal questions; Representative Landry and Commissioner Strain discussed an approximate $100,000 cost estimate but said they would work with finance staff to clarify the impact and identify resources. The committee voted to report the bill without action and to recommit it to the finance committee to resolve scope and fiscal issues before further consideration.
