The proposed bill introduces the "Hunger-Free Campus Act" to the Code of West Virginia, establishing a grant program aimed at addressing food insecurity among students at public institutions of higher education. The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission is tasked with creating this program, which will provide grants to campuses designated as "hunger-free." The act outlines specific purposes, including addressing student hunger, promoting sustainable solutions for food needs, raising awareness of existing services, and fostering partnerships to combat food insecurity.

To qualify as a hunger-free campus, institutions must meet several criteria, such as forming a Campus Hunger Task Force, designating staff to assist with enrollment in the West Virginia Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), ensuring campus stores accept SNAP benefits, providing a physical food pantry, and developing a meal credit sharing program. The commission will allocate grant funding to eligible institutions, with a total appropriation of $1 million to support these initiatives.

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