Read the full stored bill text
As Introduced
136th
General Assembly
Regular
Session
H. B. No. 157
2025-2026
Representatives Brennan, Hoops
Cosponsors: Representatives Upchurch,
Grim, McNally, Rogers, Piccolantonio, Russo, Pizzulli
To
enact section 3333.47 of the Revised Code
to
enact the Hunger-Free Campus Act to establish the Hunger-Free Campus
Grant Program and designation and to make an appropriation.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section
1.
That
section 3333.47 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:
Sec.
3333.47.
(A)
As used in this section, "qualifying institution" means
either of the following:
(1)
A state institution of higher education, as defined in section
3345.011 of the Revised Code;
(2)
A private nonprofit institution of higher education that holds a
certificate of authorization pursuant to Chapter 1713. of the Revised
Code.
(B)
The chancellor of higher education shall establish and administer the
hunger-free campus grant program and designation. The chancellor
shall establish forms and procedures for qualifying institutions to
apply to participate in the program, including to apply for a
hunger-free campus designation and grants under the program. The
chancellor shall determine how often a participating institution must
reapply to maintain its designation.
(C)
The chancellor shall determine the criteria to award a hunger-free
campus designation to a qualifying institution, which may include the
following:
(1)
Having an established on-campus food pantry or a partnership with a
local food bank to provide regular, on-campus food distributions;
(2)
Providing information to students on the supplemental nutrition
assistance program, medicaid, and other programs that reduce food
insecurity;
(3)
Having an established emergency assistance grant that is available to
students;
(4)
Having an established student meal plan credit donation program.
(D)
The chancellor shall develop a logo that institutions that have
earned the hunger-free campus designation may display. An institution
that has not earned the hunger-free campus designation under this
section shall not display the logo created under this division.
(E)
Under the program, the chancellor shall develop a method to determine
the amount of a grant to be awarded to qualifying institutions who
apply for grants.
The
chancellor shall award initial grants to qualifying institutions that
have not earned the hunger-free campus designation and demonstrate a
need for funding to meet the designation requirements.
The
chancellor shall award sustaining grants to qualifying institutions
that have earned the hunger-free campus designation so that the
institutions may leverage existing basic needs infrastructure;
maximize federal programs; build strategic partnerships at the local,
state, and national levels to address food insecurity among students;
raise awareness on available resources to address basic food needs;
and support the reduction of student food insecurity in other ways,
all as approved by the chancellor.
The
chancellor shall give preference to applications from qualifying
institutions with the highest percentage of enrolled students
eligible for the federal Pell grant. However, the chancellor has
discretion to give preference to applications that demonstrate that
an institution's plan for the grant will have a greater impact on
students experiencing food insecurity than another applicant with a
higher percentage of students eligible for the federal Pell grant.
(F)
The chancellor may adopt any rules necessary to implement the
provisions of this section.
(G)
The chancellor shall allow grant recipients to use grant funds
flexibly to implement the goals of the program, including giving
recipients the ability to do all of the following:
(1)
Support emergency assistance;
(2)
Hire staff to manage initiatives related to the program;
(3)
Use grant funds for operational activities related to the program.
(H)
No grant recipient shall reduce its existing funding designated for
initiatives that address food insecurity with the goal or net effect
of shifting the cost burden of those initiatives to the hunger-free
campus grant program.
(I)
A qualifying institution that receives a grant under this section
shall report to the chancellor information on how the grant is used
and its effects on food security on the institution's campus after
each academic year that the institution receives the grant. The
institution also shall report to the chancellor its progress on
working toward a hunger-free campus designation.
(J)
Notwithstanding any provision of section 121.95 of the Revised Code
to the contrary, a regulatory restriction contained in a rule adopted
under this section is not subject to sections 121.95 to 121.953 of
the Revised Code.
Section
2.
(A)
Not later than the thirty-first day of December two years after the
establishment of the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program under section
3333.47 of the Revised Code, the Chancellor of Higher Education shall
prepare a report on the grant program that compiles the reports
submitted by each institution of higher education that received a
Hunger-Free Campus Grant under the program.
(B)
The Chancellor shall submit the report to the Governor and, in
accordance with section 101.68 of the Revised Code, the General
Assembly.
Section
3.
All
items in this act are hereby appropriated as designated out of any
moneys in the state treasury to the credit of the designated fund.
For all operating appropriations made in this act, those in the first
column are for fiscal year 2026 and those in the second column are
for fiscal year 2027. The operating appropriations made in this act
are in addition to any other operating appropriations made for these
fiscal years.
Section
4.
1
2
3
4
5
A
BOR
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION
B
General
Revenue Fund
C
GRF
235498
Hunger-Free
Campus Grant Program
$625,000
$625,000
D
TOTAL
GRF General Revenue Fund
$625,000
$625,000
E
TOTAL
ALL BUDGET FUND GROUPS
$625,000
$625,000
HUNGER-FREE
CAMPUS GRANT PROGRAM
The
foregoing appropriation item 235498, Hunger-Free Campus Grant
Program, shall be used by the Chancellor of Higher Education to
support the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program and hunger-free campus
designations pursuant to section 3333.47 of the Revised Code.
Section
5.
Within
the limits set forth in this act, the Director of Budget and
Management shall establish accounts indicating the source and amount
of funds for each appropriation made in this act, and shall determine
the manner in which appropriation accounts shall be maintained.
Expenditures from operating appropriations contained in this act
shall be accounted for as though made in, and are subject to all
applicable provisions of, the main operating appropriations act of
the 136th General Assembly.
Section
6.
This
act shall be known as the Hunger-Free Campus Act.