Bill > HB157

This bill establishes the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program to address food insecurity among college students in Ohio. The program, administered by the Chancellor of Higher Education, will provide grants to qualifying public and private nonprofit colleges and universities to support efforts reducing student hunger. Eligible institutions can receive initial grants to develop food security infrastructure and sustaining grants to maintain and expand those efforts. To qualify, colleges must meet criteria such as having an on-campus food pantry, providing information about nutrition assistance programs, offering emergency student grants, and creating meal plan credit donation programs. The chancellor will develop a special logo for designated "hunger-free campus" institutions and will prioritize grants for schools with high percentages of Pell Grant-eligible students. Grant recipients must report annually on how funds are used and their impact on campus food security. The bill appropriates $625,000 for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to support the program, and requires the chancellor to submit a comprehensive report about the grant program's outcomes to the Governor and General Assembly within two years of the program's establishment. The goal is to comprehensively address student food insecurity by providing financial support and encouraging strategic approaches to meeting students' basic nutrition needs.

Education

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb157