Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S835 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 691 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 835
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Joan B. Lovely
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act establishing the Massachusetts Hunger-Free Campus Initiative.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Joan B. LovelySecond EssexMichael O. MooreSecond Worcester1/26/2023Sal N. DiDomenicoMiddlesex and Suffolk1/26/2023Robyn K. KennedyFirst Worcester1/30/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/8/2023Brian M. Ashe2nd Hampden2/8/2023Susannah M. Whipps2nd Franklin2/8/2023Steven Ultrino33rd Middlesex2/8/2023John C. VelisHampden and Hampshire2/8/2023John J. CroninWorcester and Middlesex2/8/2023Thomas M. Stanley9th Middlesex2/21/2023Liz MirandaSecond Suffolk2/21/2023 1 of 3
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 691 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 835
18	18	By Ms. Lovely, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 835) of Joan B. Lovely, Michael O.
19	19	Moore, Sal N. DiDomenico, Robyn K. Kennedy and other members of the General Court for
20	20	legislation to establish the Massachusetts Hunger-Free Campus Initiative. Higher Education.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE SENATE, NO. 2811 OF 2021-2022.]
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
26	26	(2023-2024)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act establishing the Massachusetts Hunger-Free Campus Initiative.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 15A of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the
32	32	2following section:-
33	33	3 Section 46. (a) Subject to appropriation, there shall be a hunger-free campus grant
34	34	4program managed by the department to provide grants to institutions of public higher education
35	35	5to address student food insecurity and hunger in order to support students in completion of their
36	36	6career and technical education at the post-secondary level with the goal of enhancing the
37	37	7workforce of the commonwealth. This grant program shall also be available to municipally
38	38	8administered colleges and to minority serving institutions as defined under 20 U.S.C. 1067k (3)
39	39	9as determined by the United States Department of Education. Using funding allocated under the
40	40	10grant program, the department is authorized to hire a director of the program who shall report to 2 of 3
41	41	11the commissioner. The director shall develop guidelines and procedures governing the grant
42	42	12making process and the program using available data pertaining to student hunger. The director
43	43	13may also conduct any additional surveys the department deems necessary to understand gaps in
44	44	14addressing student food insecurity and hunger eligible higher education campuses across the
45	45	15commonwealth. The guidelines and procedures that govern the program shall specify any
46	46	16requirements applicable to eligible institutions of higher education including, but not limited to:
47	47	17(i) whether the institution has designated campus staff to interface with the department; (ii) the
48	48	18existence and extent of any campus-level hunger awareness programs, including notification to
49	49	19students of their rights to participate in federal and state food assistance programs; (iii) whether
50	50	20the institution has established on-campus meal vendors to accept available federal and state
51	51	21nutrition benefits; (iv) the existence or development of a student meal credit sharing program; (v)
52	52	22income based standards by which grant levels are determined according to the student population
53	53	23at each participating campus; and (vi) any other pertinent criteria as developed by the
54	54	24department. The department shall further develop and deliver technical assistance to assist
55	55	25eligible institutions of higher education to meet the goals of this program.
56	56	26 (b) Subject to appropriation, the department shall award grants to institutions that have
57	57	27met the guidelines and procedures established by the department. Upon recommendation by the
58	58	28director of the program, the commissioner or a designee shall determine the amount of each grant
59	59	29which shall be used by the institution to address food insecurity among its students in accordance
60	60	30with the program and shall establish reporting guidelines for grant recipients.
61	61	31 (c) Annually, not later than July 1, the department shall submit a report on the hunger-
62	62	32free campus grant program for the preceding fiscal year to the governor, the clerks of the senate
63	63	33and house of representatives and the joint committee on higher education. The report shall 3 of 3
64	64	34include the number and amounts of grants to eligible institutions well as a comprehensive
65	65	35assessment of the program for the applicable year, including: (i) identifying the institutions
66	66	36participating in the program; (ii) describing the activities of participating campuses; (iii) the level
67	67	37of student engagement in activities; and (iv) the outcomes resulting from activities.
68	68	38 (d) There shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a separate
69	69	39fund to be known as the Hunger-Free Campus Trust Fund administered by the commissioner of
70	70	40higher education. The fund shall be credited with: (i) revenue from appropriations or other
71	71	41money authorized by the general court and specifically designated to be credited to the fund; (ii)
72	72	42interest earned on such revenues; and (iii) funds from public and private sources such as gifts,
73	73	43grants and donations. Amounts credited to the fund shall not be subject to further appropriation
74	74	44and any money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the General
75	75	45Fund. Amounts credited to the fund shall be used to fund grants made pursuant to the program,
76	76	46and for the cost of administration of such program by the department of higher education.
77	77	47 (e) Annually, not later than October 1, the commissioner shall report to the clerks of the
78	78	48senate and house of representatives, the joint committee on higher education and the house and
79	79	49senate committees on ways and means on the fund's activity including: (i) the source and amount
80	80	50of funds received; (ii) the amounts distributed and the purpose of expenditures from the fund;
81	81	51(iii) any grants provided to institutions of higher education and other stakeholder organizations;
82	82	52and (iv) anticipated revenue and expenditure projections for the next year.