OHIO LEGISLATIVE SERVICE COMMISSION
Office of Research Legislative Budget
www.lsc.ohio.gov and Drafting Office
H.B. 590 Bill Analysis
135th General Assembly
Click here for H.B. 590’s Fiscal Note
Version: As Introduced
Primary Sponsors: Reps. Brennan and Dobos
Effective date:
Mariah Maldovan, Attorney
SUMMARY
Requires the Chancellor of Higher Education to establish and administer the
Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program and designation.
Qualifies state institutions of higher education and private nonprofit institutions of
higher education to receive initial grants for demonstrating a commitment to basic
needs infrastructure and an intention to pursue the hunger-free campus
designation.
Qualifies institutions that hold a hunger-free campus designation for additional
grants and higher grant awards.
Requires grants under the program to be used to support or leverage existing basic
needs infrastructure, maximize federal programs, build strategic partnerships at the
local, state, and national levels to address food insecurity among students, and to raise
awareness on resources available to address basic food needs.
Requires the Chancellor to prepare a report on the Hunger-Free Grant Program within
two years of the program’s establishment.
Appropriates $2.5 million in FY 2025 to the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program.
Entitles the bill the Hunger-Free Campus Act.
DETAILED ANALYSIS
Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program
The bill requires the Chancellor of Higher Education to establish and administer the
hunger-free campus grant program and designation. Under the program, the Chancellor must
award grants to qualifying institutions, prioritizing institutions with higher percentages of Pell
grant-eligible students enrolled. Institutions must use grants to support or leverage existing
basic needs infrastructure, maximize federal programs, build strategic partnerships at the local,
June 14, 2024
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
state, and national levels to address food insecurity among students, and raise awareness on
resources available to address basic food needs.1 “Qualifying institutions” under the bill include
state institutions of higher education and private nonprofit institutions of higher education.2
The bill requires the Chancellor to develop an application process for the grant program.
A qualifying institution is eligible for an initial grant if it demonstrates a commitment to basic
needs infrastructure and intends to use funds to pursue the hunger-free campus designation.
A qualifying institution with an existing hunger-free campus designation is eligible to apply for
additional grants. The bill also requires the Chancellor to develop a method to determine the
amount of a grant awarded to an institution, including a tiered system for awards that permits
institutions with existing hunger-free campus designations to receive larger grants.3
Each qualifying institution that receives a grant under the program must report to the
Chancellor how the grant is used and its effects on food security on the institution’s campus for
the academic year in which the grant is received. If an institution has not received a hunger-free
campus designation, it must also report its progress toward qualifying for the designation.4
Hunger-free campus designation
The bill requires the Chancellor to develop an application process for a qualifying
institution to receive a hunger-free campus designation. The Chancellor must award a
hunger-free campus designation to each qualifying institution that the Chancellor determines
satisfies two conditions.5 A hunger-free campus designation lasts for two years.6
First condition
To meet the first condition, a qualifying institution must either:
1. Provide free meals to students who have demonstrated food insecurity or establish
campus emergency funds for such students; or
2. Assist students with accessing food pantries or charitable food distributions by
establishing an on-campus food pantry or charitable distribution.
Providing free meals or campus emergency funds
The bill permits an institution that opts to provide free meals or establish campus
emergency funds for students who have demonstrated food insecurity to establish a definition
or method by which to identify students who have demonstrated food insecurity. However,
1 R.C. 3333.47(B)(1).
2 R.C. 3333.47(A).
3 R.C. 3333.47(B)(2) and (3).
4 R.C. 3333.47(B)(4).
5 R.C. 3333.47(C).
6 R.C. 3333.47(D).
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As Introduced
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
that definition must include students with an expected family contribution of $0 and students
who are work-study eligible, as determined through the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid. Free meals or funds may be provided through any of the following methods:7
1. Establishing a student meal plan credit donation program through which enrolled
students with a purchased meal plan may donate any meal on such plan to the program
and any enrolled student who has demonstrated food insecurity may apply to redeem a
donated meal at a meal-plan eligible on-campus dining location in accordance with
applicable food safety regulations;
2. Designating an amount of the institution’s funds for free meal vouchers or gift cards for
students who have demonstrated food insecurity that may be used at campus stores,
eateries, or local establishments; or
3. Establishing a campus emergency fund to support students with emergency expenses,
including those associated with food, shelter, utilities, and childcare. An institution must
limit barriers to access those funds.
Establishing food pantries or charitable food distributions
The bill requires an institution that opts to assist students by establishing a food pantry
or charitable food distribution on campus to make all food provided at the pantry or
distribution free to all students. Institutions are prohibited from requiring students to
demonstrate need to access the pantry or distribution. However, an institution may require an
individual to show a valid student identification card to access food at the pantry or
distribution. An on-campus food pantry must include at least one staffed physical food pantry
on the institution’s campus located in a safe and secure environment. The institution must also
include measures to ensure that students may receive food from the food pantry without facing
stigma.
The bill requires institutions to provide notice of the food pantry or charitable
distribution on the institution’s website, including hours of operation and updated contact
information for staff members involved in operating the pantry or distribution and information
on other efforts to address hunger at the institution.8
Second condition
To satisfy the second condition for a hunger-free campus designation under the bill, a
qualifying institution must meet at least three of the five following criteria:
1. Ensure that students have access to accurate and current information about the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), other available food assistance
programs, and programs that support basic needs security, including program eligibility,
7 R.C. 3333.47(C)(1)(a).
8 R.C. 3333.47(C)(1)(b).
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As Introduced
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
application processes, and how to use program benefits. An institution may satisfy this
criteria by doing any of the following:
a. Including information on food assistance and basic needs security programs in all
financial aid information;
b. Including information on food assistance and basic needs security programs in new
student orientation materials;
c. Including information on food assistance and basic needs security programs in each
course syllabus; or
d. Posting information on food assistance and basic needs security programs in all
on-campus housing locations.
2. Designate at least one on-campus employee who students may contact for information
on SNAP, other available food assistance programs, and programs that support basic
needs security.
3. Notify, on an individual basis, students who receive need-based financial aid of their
potential eligibility to receive benefits under SNAP.
4. Conduct an anonymous, campus-wide survey assessing student food security at least
once every two years.
5. Sponsor at least one event per academic semester to spread awareness about student
hunger and provide information to students about services available on campus to
alleviate student hunger.9
The graphic below provides a simplified illustration of the requirements for a
hunger-free campus designation.
9 R.C. 3333.47(C)(2).
P a g e |4 H.B. 590
As Introduced
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
Hunger-free campus designation
Condition 1 (must satisfy one)
•Provide free meals for students with demonstrated food insecurity or establish
campus emergency funds
•Establish an on-campus food pantry or charitable distribution
Condition 2 (must satisfy three)
•Share information on food assistance and basic needs security programs
•Designate an on-campus employee as contact for information on food assistance and
basic needs security programs
•Notify individual students of potential eligibility to receive benefits under SNAP
•Conduct campus-wide survey assessing student food security at least once every two
years
•Sponsor at least one event per semester to spread awareness and give information
about services available to alleviate student hunger
Report
The bill requires the Chancellor of Higher Education to, within two years of the
establishment of the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program, prepare a report on the program.
The Chancellor must submit the report to the Governor and the General Assembly. The report
must include all of the following:10
1. The number and amounts of grant awards under the program;
2. Examples of how students were supported by the program and how the funding helped
students continue their education;
3. Examples of the impact of the grant program on establishing additional hunger-free
campuses at qualifying institutions and reducing the number of students experiencing
food insecurity; and
4. Any recommendations regarding the establishment of an annual appropriation for the
grant program.
10 Section 2.
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As Introduced
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
Appropriation
The bill appropriates $2.5 million in fiscal year 2025 to support the Hunger-Free Campus
Grant Program.11
HISTORY
Action Date
Introduced 05-15-24
ANHB0590IN-135/sb
11 Section 4.
P a g e |6 H.B. 590
As Introduced