Education, Higher

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to a hunger-free campus grant program.

Budget Education

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: Hale, Massey
Last action: 2026-04-15
Official status: Taken off notice for cal in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee of Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify exact amounts of funding for the program, leaving this detail open-ended.

Tennessee Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program

This bill establishes a grant program to help Tennessee higher education institutions address student hunger by providing funds and setting up food pantries.

What This Bill Does

Creates the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program to provide grants for addressing student hunger at eligible colleges and universities in Tennessee.
Establishes a fund within the general state budget called the 'Hunger-Free Campus Grant Fund' which will receive money from the government and donations.
Requires institutions applying for grants to submit applications as directed by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, have or partner with food pantries accessible to students, and establish task forces involving students.
Directs grant recipients to use funds to create meal credit donation programs, allocate funding for meal vouchers, support local food pantries, and raise awareness about campus resources related to hunger.

Who It Names or Affects

Higher education institutions in Tennessee, both public and private.
Students at these institutions who face food insecurity.

Terms To Know

higher education institution: A college or university that is either publicly operated by the state of Tennessee or a privately accredited postsecondary school with its main campus in Tennessee.
hunger task force: A group within an educational institution, including student members, tasked with studying and addressing food insecurity on campus.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not provide specific funding amounts for the program in fiscal years 2025-26, 2026-27, or 2027-28.
Funding is contingent upon future appropriations by the Tennessee General Assembly.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HA0164

Amendment 1-0 to HB0007

Plain English: House Education 1 Amendment No.

House Education 1 Amendment No.
1 to HB0007 White Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
172 House Bill No.
7* HA0164 004938 - 1 - by deleting "the education administration committee of the house of representatives" in subsection (g) of Section 1 and substituting "the committee of the house of representatives having jurisdiction over education".

SA0373

Amendment 1-0 to SB0172

Plain English: Senate Finance, Ways, and Means 1 Amendment No.

Senate Finance, Ways, and Means 1 Amendment No.
1 to SB0172 Watson Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
172 House Bill No.
7* SA0373 004938 - 1 - by deleting "the education administration committee of the house of representatives" in subsection (g) of Section 1 and substituting "the committee of the house of representatives having jurisdiction over education".

SA0374

Amendment 2-0 to SB0172

Plain English: Senate Finance, Ways, and Means 2 Amendment No.

Senate Finance, Ways, and Means 2 Amendment No.
2 to SB0172 Watson Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
172 House Bill No.
7* SA0374 006911 - 1 - by adding the following language as a new subsection in Section 1: (h) It is the legislative intent that the general appropriations act does not include an appropriation of funds for the hunger-free campus grant program for fiscal year 2024- 2025 or 2025-2026.

SA0839

Amendment 3-0 to SB0172

Plain English: Senate Finance, Ways, and Means 3 Amendment No.

Senate Finance, Ways, and Means 3 Amendment No.
3 to SB0172 Watson Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
172 House Bill No.
7* SA0839 015554 - 1 - by adding the following language as a new subsection in Section 1: (h) It is the legislative intent that the general appropriations act does not include an appropriation of funds for the hunger-free campus grant program for fiscal year 2025- 2026, 2026-2027, or 2027-2028.

Bill History

2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly
Taken off notice for cal in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee of Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0
2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 3 - SA0839)
2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 2 - SA0374)
2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0373)
2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/6/2026
2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed behind the budget
2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 10, Nays 0 PNV 0
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/25/2026
2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 3/24/2026
2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 3/24/2026
2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 3/17/2026
2026-02-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2025
2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/15/2025
2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee on 4/15/2025
2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025
2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee / Behind Budget
2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 4/9/2025
2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed behind the budget
2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/8/2025
2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/2/2025
2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee
2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/25/2025
2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Education Committee
2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Higher Education Subcommittee for 3/19/2025
2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Higher Education Subcommittee to 3/19/2025
2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Higher Education Subcommittee for 3/12/2025
2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
2025-02-27 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/5/2025
2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Higher Education Subcommittee
2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee
2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Ref. to Education Committee
2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C held on desk, pending appointment of Standing Committees
2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2025-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2024-11-07 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill provides that, 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, whic
h will be administered by the Tennessee higher education commission. As used in this bill, a " higher education institution" means (i) an institution operated by the board of trustees of the University of Tennessee, the board of regents of the state univ
er
sity and community college system, or a local governing board of trustees of a state university; or (ii) a private postsecondary institution accredited by a regional accrediting association that has its primary campus domiciled in this state.

HUNGER-FREE CAMPUS GRANT FUND

This bill creates a separate fund within the general fund to be known as the hunger-free campus grant fund, which will be composed of (i) funds specifically appropriated by the general assembly for the grant fund; and (ii) gifts, grants, and other donati
ons received for the grant fund.

HUNGER-FREE CAMPUS GRANT

In order to be eligible for a grant, this bill requires a higher education institution to do all of the following:



Submit an application to the commission on a form prescribed by the commission, along with any supporting documentation required by the commission


Have or establish a physical food pantry that is accessible to students; or partner with a food pantry that is accessible to students and located in one or more counties where the higher education institution maintains a campus where students reside or attend in-person courses


Establish a hunger task force that includes at least two members of the institution's student body to examine the needs and best practices of food insecurity on campus

This bill requires the commission to establish a formal process and deadline for receiving a higher education institution's application and authorizes the commission to develop and implement additional policies and procedures for the approval of grant ap
plications.

This bill requires a higher education institution that is awarded a grant to use grant proceeds to (i) develop a student meal credit donation program; allocate funding for a meal voucher program for students; or provide financial assistance to a food pan
try above; and (ii) raise awareness of community and campus resources related to food insecurity.

REPORT

This bill requires a higher education institution that is awarded a grant to, for each year for which the institution receives a grant, study and submit a report to the education committee of the senate and the education administration committee of the h
ouse 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 camp
us
hunger at the institution.

ON APRIL 6, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENTS #1 AND #3 AND PASSED SENATE BILL
172, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 changes the house committee to which a
higher education institution that is awarded a hunger-free campus grant
must,
for each year for which the institution receives a grant, submit a report 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 ad
dress campus hunger, and other data related to campus hunger at the institution
from the
education administration committee of
the house of representatives
to
the committee of the house of representatives having jurisdiction over education
.

AMENDMENT #3 r
eplaces language stating that this bill does not appropriate funds with a statement of

legislative intent that the general appropriations act does not include an appropriation of funds for the hunger-free campus grant program for fiscal year 2025-2026, 2026-2027, or 2027-2028.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SENATE BILL 172
By Massey

HOUSE BILL 7
By Hale

HB0007
000197
- 1 -

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:

- 2 - 000197

(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)

- 3 - 000197

(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.