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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to measures to address student hunger at postsecondary |
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educational institutions. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 51.9231 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 51.9231. FOOD VENDOR CONTRACT REQUIREMENT. (a) In |
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this section, "institution of higher education" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 61.003. |
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(b) A contract entered into by an institution of higher |
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education with a person for the person to sell or otherwise provide |
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food on the institution's campus must require the person, if |
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eligible, to seek authorization to become a retailer and accept |
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benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance program under |
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Chapter 33, Human Resources Code. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 61.0763 and 61.07631 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.0763. HUNGER-FREE CAMPUS PROGRAM. (a) The board |
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shall establish and administer a hunger-free campus program to |
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support institutions of higher education in establishing essential |
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and sustainable solutions to hunger at institution campuses in this |
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state. The solutions must include: |
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(1) allowing students to donate meal credits from the |
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student's meal plan to be distributed to peers who may be facing |
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food insecurity; |
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(2) establishing food pantries on campus; |
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(3) developing, in collaboration with the Health and |
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Human Services Commission, capacity-building strategies for |
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increasing student enrollment in the supplemental nutrition |
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assistance program under Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, |
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including strategies for identifying students who previously |
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received meals under the national free or reduced-price lunch |
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program established under 42 U.S.C. Section 1751 et seq. and |
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enrolling them in the supplemental nutrition assistance program; |
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and |
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(4) any other solutions identified by the work group |
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established under Subsection (c), institution and campus |
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personnel, or the board. |
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(b) The board shall establish criteria under which the board |
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may designate a campus of an institution of higher education as a |
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Hunger-Free Campus if the campus applies and meets the |
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qualifications. |
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(c) The board shall establish a work group to develop best |
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practices guidelines for addressing student hunger on the campuses |
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of institutions of higher education, including methods for |
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implementing the solutions to hunger described by Subsection (a). |
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(d) The work group must include members who are |
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representatives of: |
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(1) the legislature; |
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(2) institutions of higher education; |
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(3) the board; and |
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(4) other relevant stakeholders. |
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(e) In determining the composition of the work group, the |
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board shall: |
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(1) ensure work group members represent various types |
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of institutions of higher education located throughout this state; |
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and |
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(2) appoint one work group member to serve as |
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presiding officer. |
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(f) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, |
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the work group shall submit a report to the legislature regarding |
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its findings and recommendations. |
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Sec. 61.07631. HUNGER-FREE CAMPUS GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The |
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board, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture, shall |
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establish and administer a program to award grants to eligible |
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institutions of higher education to support efforts to fight hunger |
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on the campuses of those institutions. |
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(b) Subject to money appropriated or otherwise available, |
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the board shall award grants on a competitive basis to institutions |
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of higher education that have one or more campuses designated as a |
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Hunger-Free Campus by the board under Section 61.0763(b). |
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(c) The board shall determine the amount of each grant, |
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prioritizing grants made to institutions of higher education with |
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the highest percentages of eligible Pell grant program recipients |
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enrolled in the institution. |
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(d) Grants awarded under this section must be used by the |
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receiving institution of higher education to: |
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(1) address student hunger on the institution's |
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campuses; |
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(2) promote essential and sustainable solutions to |
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address basic food needs on the institution's campuses; |
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(3) raise awareness of services that address basic |
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food needs and that are currently offered on the institution's |
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campuses; and |
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(4) build partnerships at the local, state, and |
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national levels to address food insecurity among students. |
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(e) The board shall adopt rules to implement this section, |
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including rules establishing an application and selection process |
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for awarding grants. |
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(f) Each institution of higher education that receives a |
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grant under the program shall submit a report to the board, in the |
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manner the board prescribes, that describes how the institution |
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used the grant award. |
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(g) Not later than December 1, 2028, the board shall submit |
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to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the |
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house of representatives a report on the grant program under this |
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section. The report must include: |
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(1) the number and amounts of grants awarded; |
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(2) the impact of the program on establishing |
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Hunger-Free Campuses at institutions of higher education; |
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(3) the impact of the program on reducing the number of |
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students experiencing food insecurity; and |
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(4) recommendations for statutory or funding changes |
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necessary to implement successful innovations for reducing hunger |
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at institutions of higher education. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 33.020 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 33.020. SNAP ELIGIBILITY OF CERTAIN STUDENTS ENROLLED |
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IN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION PROGRAMS. (a) In this section, |
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"postsecondary educational institution" includes: |
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(1) an institution of higher education or a private or |
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independent institution of higher education as defined by Section |
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61.003, Education Code; and |
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(2) a career school or college as defined by Section |
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132.001, Education Code. |
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(b) The commission shall, as authorized under 7 U.S.C. |
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Section 2015(o)(6), provide an exemption from work requirements to |
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provide supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits to an |
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individual who is: |
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(1) ineligible to receive supplemental nutrition |
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assistance program benefits based solely on the work requirements; |
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and |
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(2) enrolled as a student in at least 12 semester |
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credit hours in a postsecondary educational institution. |
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(c) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules to |
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implement this section, including rules that ensure a student |
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remains eligible for supplemental nutrition assistance benefits |
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during a break in the semester or academic term of the postsecondary |
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educational institution in which the student is enrolled. |
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SECTION 4. Section 51.9231, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies only to a contract entered into on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. A contract entered into before the |
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effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the |
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date the contract was entered into, and the former law is continued |
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in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. (a) Not later than December 31, 2025, the Texas |
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Higher Education Coordinating Board shall establish the work group |
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required by Section 61.0763, Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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(b) Not later than December 1, 2026, the work group |
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established under Section 61.0763, Education Code, as added by this |
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Act, shall submit its initial report. |
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SECTION 6. Not later than December 31, 2026, the executive |
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commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall |
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adopt the rules necessary to implement Section 33.020, Human |
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Resources Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 7. Section 33.020, Human Resources Code, as added |
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by this Act, applies only to an initial determination or |
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recertification of eligibility for the supplemental nutrition |
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assistance program under Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, that is |
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made on or after the effective date of this Act. A determination or |
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recertification made before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the determination or |
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recertification was made, and the former law is continued in effect |
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for that purpose. |
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SECTION 8. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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waiver or authorization is granted. |
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SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |