Req. No. 8860 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 STATE OF OKLAHOMA 2nd Session of the 58th Legislature (2022) HOUSE BILL 3416 By: Pae AS INTRODUCED An Act relating to higher education; enacting the Hunger-free Campus Act; providing short title; defining terms; requiring the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to administer the Hunger-free Campus Grant Pilot Program, develop a certain form, and designate certain campuses at certain public institutions of highe r education as hunger–free campuses using certain criteria ; authorizing certain public institutions of higher education to develop procedures; requiring certain public institutions of higher education to make certain information publicly available; requiring the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to allocate grant fund ing for certain public institutions of higher education; requiring the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to determine the amount of grant funding to each eligible public institution of higher education; requiring the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to include a strategic plan; requiring the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to adopt regulations; requiring the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to report to the Governor and the State Legislature within a certain time period; providing for codification; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency. BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: Req. No. 8860 Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of la w to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 2501 of Title 70, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Hunger-free Campus Act". SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codifi ed in the Oklahoma Statut es as Section 2502 of Title 70, unless there is created a duplication in numberin g, reads as follows: As used in the Hunger-free Campus Act: 1. "Emergency assistance" means immediate direct assist ance provided by a hunger –free campus to any student facing an unanticipated financial crisis or hardship ; 2. "Hunger–free campus" means a campus of any four–year public institution of higher education that meets the requirements of subsection A of Section 4 of this act or any two–year public institution of highe r education that meets the requirements of subsection B of Section 4 of this act; and 3. "Program" means the Hunger–free Campus Grant Program. SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new sect ion of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Secti on 2503 of Title 70, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows : The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall administer the Hunger-free Campus Grant Program and shall develop the form to Req. No. 8860 Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 be used for the annual student su rvey required under Section 4 of this act. SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to b e codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Secti on 2504 of Title 70, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, rea ds as follows: A. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall designate as a hunger –free campus any campus of a four–year public institution of higher education that: 1. Has established a hunger task force that : a. meets at least two times per academic year, and b. sets at least two goals with action plans ; 2. Has a designated a staff member re sponsible for: a. assisting students in enrolli ng in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or b. connecting students with available Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program outreach partners that can assist students in enrolling in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; 3. Has designated a staff member responsible for informing students participating in the Federal Work–Study Program regarding eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; 4. Facilitates collaboration with campus retailers to provide options for students to utilize Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits at campus retailers; Req. No. 8860 Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 5. Provides students with information on the names and locations of off–campus retailers that accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits; 6. Participates in an awareness day campa ign activity and complete at least one campus awa reness event during Hunger Action Month in September; 7. Provides at least one food pantry on campus or enables students in need to receive food through a separate , stigma–free arrangement; 8. Facilitates efforts between campus administrators and food service operations or vendors to develop and maintain a meal–sharing program that allows students to donate their unused meal plan credits to be distributed to students in need for use in campus dining halls or at an on–campus food pantry, if applicable; 9. Conducts a standardized ann ual student survey on hunger and submits the results to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education; and 10. Submits an annual report detailing its efforts to address student hunger to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. B. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall designate as a hunger –free campus any campus of a two–year public institution of higher education that meets all the requirements for four–year public institutions of higher education identified in Req. No. 8860 Page 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 subsection A of this section, with the exception of the requirements in paragraphs 4 and 7 of subsection A of this section. C. 1. Each public institution of higher educ ation may develop its own procedures for a meal –sharing program. 2. Each public institution of higher education shall make information about the meal–sharing program publicl y available, including: a. how a student may donate unused meal plan credits, b. how a student in need may apply to receive donated meal plan credits, and c. the methodology that a n institution of higher education uses to ensure that unused donated meal plan credits are used to purchase food to support an on – campus food pantry, if applicable. SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 2505 of Title 70, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: A. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall allocate grant funding, as available through state appropriations, to any four–year or two–year public institution of higher education that: 1. Pledges a matching contribution to be used to implement the goals of the program; and Req. No. 8860 Page 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2. Meets the requirements to be designated as a hunger –free campus. B. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall determine the amount of each institutional grant based on available funding and may retain grant funds for administrative costs at or below the allowable annual indirect cost rate negotiated by the State Regents with the U.S. Department of Educati on. C. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall develop a strategic plan starting when this act becomes effective to address meeting the basic needs of higher education students by 2030. D. 1. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall have six (6) months after receiving appropriation to develop the process for selecting institutions for the pilot program as well as the metrics that will be tracked from August 2023 through May 2028. 2. The Oklahoma State Re gents for Higher Educat ion must select institutions for pilot participation and award funds no later than June 2023. Participating institutions must submit data metrics outlined by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and this act no later than the first day of August of each year. E. 1. The Oklahoma State Regents fo r Higher Education shall adopt regulations necessary to carry out the requirement s of this act. Req. No. 8860 Page 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2. The regulations adopted under this subsection shall allow grant recipients to use grant funds fle xibly to implement the goals of the program, including giving recipients the ability to : a. support emergency assistance , b. hire staff to manage initiatives related to the program, and c. use grant funds for ope rational activities related to the program. SECTION 6. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 2506 of Title 70, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: A. Not later than five (5) years after establishing the program, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall provide a written report to the Governor and the Legislature on the implementation of this act. B. The report shall include: 1. The number and amounts of grants awarded; 2. The impact of the program on establishing hunger-free campuses at public institutions of higher education ; 3. The impact of awarded grants on reducing the number of students experiencing food insecurity; and 4. Recommendations on expanding the program. SECTION 7. This act shall be come effective July 1, 2022. Req. No. 8860 Page 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 SECTION 8. It being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby declared to exist, by reason whereof thi s act shall take eff ect and be in full force from and after its passage a nd approval. 58-2-8860 MJ 01/16/22