Senate Bill 245 aims to establish the Hunger-Free Campus Act in West Virginia, which will create a Hunger-Free Grant Program administered by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. The program's purpose is to provide financial support to state institutions of higher education that achieve a "hunger-free campus" designation. This designation requires institutions to implement various initiatives, such as forming a Campus Hunger Task Force, providing access to the West Virginia Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), hosting awareness campaigns, and maintaining a physical food pantry or alternative food distribution methods.

The bill outlines specific qualifications for campuses to be designated as hunger-free, including conducting annual surveys on student hunger and developing programs to share meal credits. Additionally, the Chancellor of the Higher Education Policy Commission is tasked with allocating grant funding to eligible institutions, contingent on available resources, and must report to the Governor and Legislature within two years of the program's establishment. The report will detail grant awards, the program's impact on food insecurity, and recommendations for future expansion.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18B-22-1, 18B-22-2, 18B-22-3, 18B-22-4