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, including forming a Campus Hunger Task Force, designating staff to assist with SNAP enrollment, providing food pantry services, and conducting annual surveys on student hunger. The bill outlines specific criteria that campuses must meet to qualify for the designation and grant funding.

Additionally, the Chancellor of the Higher Education Policy Commission is tasked with allocating grant funding to designated hunger-free campuses, contingent on available resources. The bill mandates that a report be submitted to the Governor and Legislature within two years of the program's establishment, detailing the impact of the grant program on food insecurity among students and recommendations for its expansion. Overall, the Hunger-Free Campus Act seeks to address student hunger and promote food security within West Virginia's higher education institutions.

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