PRINTER'S NO. 819
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
719
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY COMITTA, FONTANA, CAPPELLETTI, KANE, COSTA, MUTH
AND SANTARSIERO, MAY 28, 2021
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, MAY 28, 2021
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto," in miscellaneous provisions relating
to institutions of higher education, establishing the Hunger-
Free Campus Grant Program and the Hunger-Free Campus Grant
Fund.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
section to read:
Section 2002-I. Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program.
(a) Establishment.--The Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program is
established within the Department of Education for the purposes
under subsection (b).
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Hunger-Free Campus Grant
Program shall be to provide grants to public institutions of
higher education that have one or more campuses designated by
the Secretary of Education as hunger-free campuses under
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subsection (c). The purpose of the grant funding shall be to:
(1) Address student hunger.
(2) Leverage more sustainable solutions to address basic
food needs on campus.
(3) Raise awareness of services currently offered on
campus which address basic food needs.
(4) Continue to build strategic partnerships at the
Federal, State and local levels to address food insecurity
among students.
(c) Hunger-free campus designation.--In order to be
designated as a hunger-free campus, a public institution of
higher education shall:
(1) Establish a hunger task force that meets a minimum
of three times per academic year to set at least two goals
with action plans and includes representatives from the
current student body.
(2) Designate a staff member responsible for assisting
students with enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP).
(3) Provide options for students to utilize SNAP
benefits at campus stores or provide students with
information on establishments in the surrounding area of
campus where they can utilize SNAP EBT benefits.
(4) Participate in an awareness day campaign activity
and plan a campus awareness event during the National Hunger
and Homelessness Awareness Week.
(5) Provide at least one physical food pantry on campus
or enable students to receive food through a separate,
stigma-free arrangement with a local food pantry or food bank
near campus.
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(6) Develop a student meal credit donation program or
designate a certain amount of money for free meal vouchers
for students.
(7) Annually conduct a student survey on hunger,
developed by the Department of Education, and submit the
results of the survey to the Secretary of Education at a time
prescribed by the Secretary of Education for inclusion in a
comparative profile of each campus designated as a hunger-
free campus. Survey data on student hunger shall be
disaggregated by race, gender identity, sexual orientation,
parenting status and financial aid status of students. In the
development of the survey, the Department of Education may
utilize any existing surveys designed to collect information
on food insecurity among students enrolled in public
institutions of higher education.
(d) Allocation.--The Secretary of Education shall allocate
grant funding to each public institution of higher education
that has one or more campuses designated by the Secretary of
Education as a hunger-free campus as provided under subsection
(c). The Secretary of Education, or a designee, shall determine
the amount of each grant which shall be used by the public
institution of higher education to further address food
insecurity among students enrolled in the public institution of
higher education. The Secretary of Education or a designee shall
prioritize grants to public institutions of higher education
serving minority, low-income and high Pell-grant-recipient
campuses.
(e) Report.--The Department of Education shall submit a
report to the Governor, the chair and minority chair of the
Education Committee of the Senate and the chair and minority
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chair of the Education Committee of the House of Representatives
no later than two years after the establishment of the Hunger-
Free Campus Grant Program. The report shall include, but not be
limited to, the number and amounts of the grant awards, the
impact the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program had on establishing
additional hunger-free campuses at public institutions of higher
education and reducing the number of students experiencing food
insecurity , the disaggregated data on students served reflecting
the students' race, gender identity, sexual orientation,
parenting status and financial aid status and recommendations on
the expansion of the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program.
(f) Hunger-Free Campus Grant Fund.--The Hunger-Free Campus
Grant Fund is established as a special fund in the State
Treasury. The following shall apply to the operation of the
fund:
(1) Money in the fund shall be appropriated on a
continuing basis to the Department of Education for the
purpose of awarding grants under this section.
(2) The sum of $1,000,000 shall be transferred from the
General Fund to the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Fund to be used
exclusively for the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Fund.
(g) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Public institution of higher education." Any of the
following:
(1) A community college operating under Article XIX-A.
(2) A rural regional college established under Article
XIX-G.
(3) A university within the State System of Higher
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Education under Article XX-A.
(4) A State-related institution as defined in section
2001-C.
(5) The Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.
(6) The Pennsylvania College of Technology.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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