Budget Amendment ID: FY2026-S3-689-R1

Redraft EDU 689

Hunger-Free Campus Initiative

Ms. Lovely, Ms. Rausch, Messrs. Montigny and Gómez, Ms. Miranda and Messrs. Mark, Lewis, Oliveira, Eldridge, Keenan, Payano, Brady and Collins moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, by inserting after item 7066-9600 the following item:-

“7100-4003 For the department of higher education to support a hunger-free campus initiative to address food insecurity at 2- and 4-year public institutions of higher learning and higher education institutions in the commonwealth that have been shown to primarily enroll historically underrepresented groups as determined by the department of higher education; provided, that the department shall award grants to campuses that: (i) maximize student enrollment in federal nutrition benefit programs; (ii) promote on-campus grocers that accept nutrition program benefits; (iii) increase access to available meal cards and meal swipe options, where feasible; (iv) maximize student access to on-campus or area food pantries in collaboration with regional food banks; and (v) support other campus-designed projects to address college student food insecurity; provided further, that prior to awarding grants under this item, the department shall issue a request for proposal through which colleges may apply and  make grant awards based on the demonstrated need and a proposed implementation plan submitted by each applicant; provided further, that not later than 45 days after the passage of this act  , the department shall issue a request for proposals to eligible public institutions; and provided further, that not later than  90 days after the passage of this act, the department shall submit to the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on higher education and the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate a report detailing  a list of grantees and the grant amount distributed to each grantee..................... $500,000”.