Bill > HB1070

This bill establishes a Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program designed to address food insecurity among college students in Indiana. The program will provide competitive grants to state educational institutions that meet specific criteria for supporting students' basic nutritional needs. To be designated as a hunger-free campus, institutions must create a hunger task force, designate staff to help students enroll in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), provide SNAP benefit access, hold hunger awareness events, establish a food pantry or alternative food distribution method, develop meal credit donation programs, and conduct biannual student hunger surveys. The Commission for Higher Education will administer the grant program and fund, which will consist of state appropriations, commission transfers, and potential donations. Institutions with a higher proportion of Pell grant recipients will receive priority for funding. The bill allocates $250,000 for the first year of the program (fiscal year 2025-2026), with additional transfers of $100,000 and $150,000 in subsequent years. By July 1, 2028, the commission must submit a comprehensive report to state leadership evaluating the program's impact and recommending potential future funding.

Education

https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2025/bills/house/1070/details