A bill for an act
relating to higher education; expanding the hunger-free campus designation;
appropriating money; repealing expiration; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020,
section 136F.245, subdivisions 1, 2; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 137; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 136F.245,
subdivision 3.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 136F.245, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
A Hunger-Free Campus designation for Minnesota State
community and technical colleges new text beginand universities new text endis established. In order to be awarded
the designation, a campus must meet the following minimum criteria:
(1) have an established on-campus food pantry or partnership with a local food bank to
provide regular, on-campus food distributions;
(2) provide information to students on SNAP, MFIP, and other programs that reduce
food insecurity;
(3) hold or participate in one hunger awareness event per academic year;
(4) have an established emergency assistance grant that is available to students; and
(5) establish a hunger task force that meets a minimum of three times per academic year.
The task force must include at least two students currently enrolled at the collegenew text begin or
universitynew text end.
Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 136F.245, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
The statewide student deleted text beginassociationdeleted text end new text beginassociations
new text end representing the community and technical colleges new text beginand the universities new text endshall create an
application process and deleted text begina nonmonetarydeleted text endnew text begin annew text end award, and provide final approval for the
designation at each collegenew text begin and university, respectivelynew text end.
new text begin
A Hunger-Free Campus designation is established for
the University of Minnesota. In order to be awarded the designation, a campus must meet
the following minimum criteria:
new text end
new text begin
(1) have an established on-campus food pantry or partnership with a local food bank to
provide regular, on-campus food distributions;
new text end
new text begin
(2) provide information to students on SNAP, MFIP, and other programs that reduce
food insecurity;
new text end
new text begin
(3) hold or participate in one hunger awareness event per academic year;
new text end
new text begin
(4) have an established emergency assistance grant that is available to students; and
new text end
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(5) establish a hunger task force that meets a minimum of three times per academic year.
The task force must include at least two students currently enrolled at the university.
new text end
new text begin
The University of Minnesota statewide student
association shall create an application process and an award, and provide final approval for
the designation at each university.
new text end
new text begin
(a) $....... in fiscal year 2022 and $....... in fiscal year 2023 are appropriated from the
general fund to the Office of Higher Education to provide grants for campuses to meet and
maintain the criteria in Minnesota Statutes, sections 136F.245 and 137.375, to address food
insecurity on campus.
new text end
new text begin
(b) Awards must be based on head count for the most recently completed academic year.
The maximum grant award shall be $.......
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(c) Campuses must provide matching funds to receive the hunger-free campus grant.
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(d) The commissioner of the Office of Higher Education may transfer unencumbered
balances from the appropriations in this section to the emergency assistance for postsecondary
students grant. Transfers from this appropriation may only be made to the extent there is a
projected surplus in the appropriation. A transfer may be made only with prior written notice
to the chairs and ranking minority members of the senate and house of representatives
committees with jurisdiction over higher education finance.
new text end
new text begin
(e) The statewide student associations representing the community and technical colleges
and the universities shall review all grant applications and provide final approval of all grant
disbursements from the Office of Higher Education to colleges and universities, respectively.
new text end
new text begin
Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 136F.245, subdivision 3,
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is repealed.
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Repealed Minnesota Statutes: 21-02046
This section expires July 1, 2023.