SENATE BILL 172
By Massey
HOUSE BILL 7
By Hale
HB0007
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AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
relative to a hunger-free campus grant program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 7, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) As used in this section, "higher education institution" means:
(1) An institution operated by:
(A) The board of trustees of the University of Tennessee;
(B) The board of regents of the state university and community
college system; or
(C) A local governing board of trustees of a state university; or
(2) A private postsecondary institution accredited by a regional
accrediting association that has its primary campus domiciled in this state.
(b) Subject to the appropriation of funds by the general assembly, there is
created a hunger-free campus grant program to provide grants to higher education
institutions to be used to address hunger on the institutions' campuses.
(c) The Tennessee higher education commission shall administer the hunger-
free campus grant program.
(d)
(1) There is created a separate fund within the general fund to be known
as the hunger-free campus grant fund.
(2) The hunger-free campus grant fund is composed of:
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(A) Funds specifically appropriated by the general assembly for
the grant fund; and
(B) Gifts, grants, and other donations received for the grant fund.
(e)
(1) To be eligible for a hunger-free campus grant, a higher education
institution must:
(A) Submit an application to the commission on a form prescribed
by the commission, along with any supporting documentation required by
the commission. The commission shall establish a formal process and
deadline for receiving a higher education institution's application;
(B)
(i) Have or establish a physical food pantry that is
accessible to students; or
(ii) Partner with a food pantry that is accessible to students
and located in one (1) or more counties where the higher
education institution maintains a campus where students reside or
attend in-person courses; and
(C) Establish a hunger task force that includes at least two (2)
members of the institution's student body to examine the needs and best
practices of food insecurity on campus.
(2) The commission is authorized to develop and implement additional
policies and procedures for the approval of grant applications.
(f) A higher education institution that is awarded a hunger-free campus grant
must use grant proceeds to:
(1)
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(A) Develop a student meal credit donation program;
(B) Allocate funding for a meal voucher program for students; or
(C) Provide financial assistance to a food pantry described in
subdivision (e)(1)(B); and
(2) Raise awareness of community and campus resources related to
food insecurity.
(g) A higher education institution that is awarded a hunger-free campus grant
shall, for each year for which the institution receives a hunger-free campus grant, study
and submit a report to the education committee of the senate and the education
administration committee of the house of representatives on the institution's efforts to
address food insecurity, the demographics of the institution's food-insecure students, the
best practices being implemented by the institution to address campus hunger, and
other data related to campus hunger at the institution.
SECTION 2. This act is not an appropriation of funds, and funds must not be obligated
or expended pursuant to this act unless the funds are specifically appropriated by the general
appropriations act.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.