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HB0007 • 2026

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
2026-04-08
Official status
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026
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.

Amendment 1-0 to HB0007

Plain English: The amendment changes who is responsible for reviewing the hunger-free campus grant program from a specific committee to any relevant education committee.

  • Changes the body in charge of overseeing the 'hunger-free campus grant program' from the 'education administration committee of the house of representatives' to 'the committee of the house of representatives having jurisdiction over education'.
  • The amendment text does not provide details about how this change will affect the operations or outcomes of the hunger-free campus grant program.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0172

Plain English: The amendment changes who is responsible for reviewing the hunger-free campus grant program from a specific committee to any relevant education committee.

  • Changes subsection (g) of Section 1 by replacing 'the education administration committee of the house of representatives' with 'the committee of the house of representatives having jurisdiction over education'.
  • The amendment does not specify which exact committee will now oversee the program, only that it must be a relevant education committee.
Amendment 2-0 to SB0172

Plain English: The amendment removes funding for a hunger-free campus grant program from Tennessee's budget for two fiscal years starting in 2024.

  • Adds new subsection (h) to Section 1, stating that the state legislature does not plan to fund the hunger-free campus grant program for fiscal years 2024-2025 and 2025-2026.
  • Deletes existing Section 2 entirely.
  • The amendment text does not explain why funding is being removed or what will happen to the grant program during these years without funding.
Amendment 3-0 to SB0172

Plain English: The amendment adds a new subsection to the bill that states the legislative intent not to include funding for the hunger-free campus grant program in the general appropriations act for three fiscal years starting from 2025.

  • Adds a new subsection (h) stating that no funds will be appropriated for the hunger-free campus grant program in the general appropriations act for fiscal years 2025-2026, 2026-2027, and 2027-2028.
  • Deletes Section 2 of the bill entirely.
  • The amendment does not specify what will happen to the program after fiscal year 2027-2028.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026

  2. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

  3. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  4. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  5. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  6. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 3 - SA0839)

  7. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 2 - SA0374)

  8. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0373)

  9. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/6/2026

  10. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  11. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  12. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 10, Nays 0 PNV 0

  13. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/25/2026

  14. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 3/24/2026

  15. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 3/24/2026

  16. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 3/17/2026

  17. 2026-02-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  18. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2025

  19. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  20. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/15/2025

  21. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee on 4/15/2025

  22. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025

  23. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  24. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee / Behind Budget

  25. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 4/9/2025

  26. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  27. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  28. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/8/2025

  29. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/2/2025

  30. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  31. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  32. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  33. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  34. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/25/2025

  35. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Education Committee

  36. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Higher Education Subcommittee for 3/19/2025

  37. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  38. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Higher Education Subcommittee to 3/19/2025

  39. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  40. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Higher Education Subcommittee for 3/12/2025

  41. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  42. 2025-02-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/5/2025

  43. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  44. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Higher Education Subcommittee

  45. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  46. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Education Committee

  47. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  48. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C held on desk, pending appointment of Standing Committees

  49. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  50. 2025-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  51. 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.