The Hunger-Free Campus Act, proposed in the 136th General Assembly, aims to establish the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program to address food insecurity among students in Ohio's higher education institutions. The bill defines "qualifying institutions" as state or private nonprofit colleges and universities and tasks the Chancellor of Higher Education with administering the program. The Chancellor will create application procedures for institutions seeking a hunger-free campus designation and grants, as well as criteria for awarding these designations, which may include having on-campus food pantries, providing information on food assistance programs, and establishing emergency assistance grants.

The bill also outlines the funding structure for the program, appropriating $625,000 from the General Revenue Fund for fiscal years 2025 and 2026 to support the initiative. Institutions that receive grants must report on their use of funds and progress toward achieving the hunger-free campus designation. The Chancellor is given the authority to develop rules for implementation and ensure that grant funds are used effectively without reducing existing funding for food insecurity initiatives.