The Appropriations Committee voted to advance Senate Bill 2228, a $1 million appropriation to the Department of Commerce to provide grants "for the preservation of rural grocery stores and increasing the availability of food access in the state." Representative Hansen, the bill sponsor in committee, moved a due‑pass recommendation; Representative Munson seconded.

During debate supporters said the appropriation differs from a larger rural catalyst program because it is focused on immediate help for grocery access. Representative Munson described a model used in his district that delivers groceries to lockers in smaller towns from a central, viable grocery store; he said the pilot at Park River has worked and that the appropriation would help replicate similar locker/delivery or revitalization efforts in other rural communities.

Representative Murphy and others urged strict adherence to the bill’s intent: they said prior grants had at times funded projects outside grocery‑retention objectives (for example, food manufacturing) and asked for tighter guardrails and clearer administration. Committee members said the bill language had been tightened (lines 12 onward) to focus on groceries and delivery models.

The motion carried on a roll call: committee leadership announced "Motion carries 18–3 with 2 absent." The committee designated Representative Hansen to carry the bill forward.

Ending: The committee approved the appropriation to move forward. The bill as drafted includes a sunset (June 30, 2027) and directs Commerce to design grant criteria to target food‑access and grocery‑preservation projects.