Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S939 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. 1567 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 939
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 hunger-free campus initiative.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Joan B. LovelySecond EssexJoanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and Worcester1/23/2025Michael D. BradySecond Plymouth and Norfolk2/6/2025James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/8/2025Manny Cruz7th Essex2/12/2025Paul W. MarkBerkshire, Hampden, Franklin and
16	16	Hampshire
17	17	2/23/2025Nick CollinsFirst Suffolk3/4/2025Adam GomezHampden3/5/2025Sal N. DiDomenicoMiddlesex and Suffolk3/5/2025Mark C. MontignySecond Bristol and Plymouth3/6/2025James C. Arena-DeRosa8th Middlesex3/7/2025 1 of 4
18	18	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1567 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
19	19	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 939
20	20	By Ms. Lovely, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 939) of Joan B. Lovely, Joanne M.
21	21	Comerford, Michael D. Brady, James B. Eldridge and other members of the General Court for
22	22	legislation to establish the hunger-free campus initiative that would provide grants to institutions
23	23	of public higher education to address student food insecurity and hunger. Higher Education.
24	24	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
25	25	SEE HOUSE, NO. 4453 OF 2023-2024.]
26	26	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
27	27	_______________
28	28	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
29	29	(2025-2026)
30	30	_______________
31	31	An Act establishing the hunger-free campus initiative.
32	32	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
33	33	of the same, as follows:
34	34	1 Chapter 15A of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
35	35	2 Section 46. (a) Subject to appropriation, there shall be a hunger-free campus grant
36	36	3program managed by the department to provide grants to institutions of public higher education
37	37	4to address student food insecurity and hunger in order to support students in completion of their
38	38	5career and technical education at the post-secondary level with the goal of enhancing the
39	39	6workforce of the commonwealth. This grant program shall also be available to municipally
40	40	7administered colleges and to minority-serving institutions as defined under 20 U.S.C. 1067k (3)
41	41	8as determined by the United States Department of Education. Funding for the grant program may 2 of 4
42	42	9include, but not be limited to, appropriations from the Education and Transportation Fund
43	43	10established in section 2BBBBBB of chapter 29.
44	44	11 Using funding allocated under the grant program, the department is authorized to hire a
45	45	12director of the program who shall report to the commissioner. The director shall develop
46	46	13guidelines and procedures governing the grant making process and the program using available
47	47	14data pertaining to student hunger. The director may also conduct any additional surveys the
48	48	15department deems necessary to understand gaps in addressing student food insecurity and hunger
49	49	16eligible higher education campuses across the commonwealth.
50	50	17 The guidelines and procedures that govern the program shall specify any requirements
51	51	18applicable to eligible institutions of higher education including, but not limited to: (i) whether the
52	52	19institution has designated campus staff to interface with the department; (ii) the existence and
53	53	20extent of any campus-level hunger awareness programs, including notification to students of
54	54	21their rights to participate in federal and state food assistance programs; (iii) whether the
55	55	22institution has established on-campus meal vendors to accept available federal and state nutrition
56	56	23benefits; (iv) the existence or development of a student meal credit sharing program; (v) income
57	57	24based standards by which grant levels are determined according to the student population at each
58	58	25participating campus; and (vi) any other pertinent criteria as developed by the department. The
59	59	26department shall further develop and deliver technical assistance to assist eligible institutions of
60	60	27higher education to meet the goals of this program.
61	61	28 (b) Subject to appropriation, the department shall award grants to institutions that have
62	62	29met the guidelines and procedures established by the department. Upon recommendation by the
63	63	30director of the program, the 3 of 4
64	64	31 commissioner or a designee shall determine the amount of each grant which shall be used
65	65	32by the institution to address food insecurity among its students in accordance with the program
66	66	33and shall establish reporting guidelines for grant recipients.
67	67	34 (c) Annually, not later than July 1, the department shall submit a report on the hunger-
68	68	35free campus grant program for the preceding fiscal year to the governor, the clerks of the senate
69	69	36and house of representatives and the joint committee on higher education. The report shall
70	70	37include the number and amounts of grants to eligible institutions well as a comprehensive
71	71	38assessment of the program for the applicable year, including: (i) identifying the institutions
72	72	39participating in the program; (ii) describing the activities of participating campuses; (iii) the level
73	73	40of student engagement in activities; and (iv) the outcomes resulting from activities.
74	74	41 (d) There shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a separate
75	75	42fund to be known as the Hunger-Free Campus Trust Fund administered by the commissioner of
76	76	43higher education. The fund shall be credited with: (i) revenue from appropriations or other
77	77	44money authorized by the general court and specifically designated to be credited to the fund; (ii)
78	78	45interest earned on such revenues; and (iii) funds from public and private sources such as gifts,
79	79	46grants and donations. Amounts credited to the fund shall not be subject to further appropriation
80	80	47and any money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the General
81	81	48Fund. Amounts credited to the fund shall be used to fund grants made pursuant to the program,
82	82	49and for the cost of administration of such program by the department of higher education.
83	83	50 (e) Annually, not later than October 1, the commissioner shall report to the clerks of the
84	84	51senate and house of representatives, the joint committee on higher education and the house and
85	85	52senate committees on ways and means on the fund's activity including: (i) the source and amount 4 of 4
86	86	53of funds received; (ii) the amounts distributed and the purpose of expenditures from the fund;
87	87	54(iii) any grants provided to institutions of higher education and other stakeholder organizations;
88	88	55and (iv) anticipated revenue and expenditure projections for the next year.