S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
6881--C
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
April 13, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL, CLARK, SIMON, BICHOTTE HERMELYN,
GOTTFRIED, THIELE, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, ENGLEBRIGHT, KELLES, EPSTEIN,
LUPARDO, CRUZ, McDONALD, FORREST, GRIFFIN, SILLITTI, JEAN-PIERRE,
FAHY, FERNANDEZ, SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Committee on
Higher Education -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- again
reported from said committee with amendments, ordered reprinted as
amended and recommitted to said committee -- recommitted to the
Committee on Higher Education in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec.
2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended
and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the
"hunger-free campus act"
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "hunger-
free campus act".
§ 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 319 to read
as follows:
§ 319. HUNGER-FREE CAMPUS GRANT PROGRAM. 1. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL
ESTABLISH THE HUNGER-FREE CAMPUS GRANT PROGRAM PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION
AND REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER ADOPTED FOR SUCH PURPOSE. WITHIN THE
AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED FOR THIS PURPOSE, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL AWARD
GRANTS ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS TO PUBLIC AND NONPROFIT PRIVATE INSTI-
TUTIONS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION WHICH HAVE ONE OR MORE CAMPUSES THAT ARE
DESIGNATED BY THE COMMISSIONER AS HUNGER-FREE CAMPUSES.
2. THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANT FUNDING SHALL BE TO:
A. ADDRESS STUDENT HUNGER;
B. LEVERAGE MORE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS BASIC FOOD NEEDS ON
CAMPUS;
C. RAISE AWARENESS OF SERVICES CURRENTLY OFFERED ON CAMPUS WHICH
ADDRESS BASIC FOOD NEEDS; AND
D. CONTINUE TO BUILD STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND
NATIONAL LEVELS TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY AMONG STUDENTS.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05613-10-2
A. 6881--C 2
3. A. FOR A FOUR-YEAR INSTITUTION TO BE DESIGNATED AS A HUNGER-FREE
CAMPUS, SUCH INSTITUTION SHALL:
(I) ESTABLISH A HUNGER TASK FORCE WHICH INCLUDES STUDENT REPRESEN-
TATIVES FROM THE STUDENT BODY THAT MEETS A MINIMUM OF THREE TIMES PER
ACADEMIC YEAR TO SET AT LEAST TWO GOALS WITH ACTION PLANS;
(II) DESIGNATE A STAFF MEMBER RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSISTING STUDENTS WITH
ENROLLMENT IN THE STATE'S SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
(SNAP);
(III) 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;
(IV) HOLD AN AWARENESS DAY CAMPAIGN ACTIVITY OR EVENT DURING THE
NATIONAL HUNGER AND HOMELESSNESS AWARENESS WEEK;
(V) PROVIDE AT LEAST ONE PHYSICAL FOOD PANTRY ON CAMPUS, OR ENABLE
STUDENTS TO RECEIVE FOOD THROUGH A SEPARATE, STIGMA-FREE ARRANGEMENT.
SUCH CAMPUS MAY PARTNER WITH A LOCAL FOOD BANK OR FOOD PANTRY TO MEET
THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SUBPARAGRAPH;
(VI) DEVELOP A STUDENT MEAL CREDIT DONATION PROGRAM, OR DESIGNATE A
CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FUNDS FOR FREE FOOD VOUCHERS THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE BE
RAISED THROUGH SUCH A PROGRAM. EACH INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION MAY
DEVELOP ITS OWN PROCEDURES FOR A MEAL DONATION PROGRAM; AND
(VII) ANNUALLY CONDUCT A STUDENT SURVEY ON HUNGER, DEVELOPED BY THE
COMMISSIONER, AND SUBMIT THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY AND A BEST PRACTICES
CAMPUS PROFILE TO THE COMMISSIONER AT A TIME PRESCRIBED BY THE COMMIS-
SIONER FOR INCLUSION IN A COMPARATIVE PROFILE OF EACH CAMPUS DESIGNATED
AS A HUNGER-FREE CAMPUS. IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SURVEY, THE COMMIS-
SIONER SHALL UTILIZE ANY EXISTING SURVEYS DESIGNED TO COLLECT INFORMA-
TION ON FOOD INSECURITY AMONG STUDENTS ENROLLED IN PUBLIC AND NONPROFIT
PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
B. FOR A TWO-YEAR INSTITUTION TO BE DESIGNATED AS A HUNGER-FREE
CAMPUS, IT SHALL MEET ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR FOUR-YEAR INSTITUTIONS
AS SET FORTH IN PARAGRAPH A OF THIS SUBDIVISION, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF
THE REQUIREMENTS IN SUBPARAGRAPHS (III) AND (VI) OF SUCH PARAGRAPH.
4. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ALLOCATE GRANT FUNDING TO EACH PUBLIC AND
NONPROFIT PRIVATE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION THAT HAS ONE OR MORE
CAMPUSES DESIGNATED BY THE COMMISSIONER AS A HUNGER-FREE CAMPUS IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE CRITERIA ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION THREE
OF THIS SECTION. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF EACH
GRANT WHICH SHALL BE USED BY THE INSTITUTION TO FURTHER ADDRESS FOOD
INSECURITY AMONG STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE INSTITUTION. THE COMMISSIONER
OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE SHALL PRIORITIZE GRANTS TO INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER
EDUCATION WITH THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF PELL GRANT RECIPIENTS ENROLLED
IN THE STUDENT BODY. FOLLOWING THE AWARDING OF SUCH GRANT FUNDING,
RECIPIENTS WILL BE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE BASIC INFORMATION TO THE DEPART-
MENT ON HOW SUCH GRANT AWARD WAS USED, ITS DELIVERABLES AND OUTCOMES.
5. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPO-
RARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, 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 GRANT PROGRAM HAS HAD ON
ESTABLISHING ADDITIONAL HUNGER-FREE CAMPUSES AT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND REDUCING THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS
EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY, AND RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE POTEN-
TIAL ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ANNUAL APPROPRIATION FOR THE GRANT PROGRAM.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.