HF 3528

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 02/17/2022 02:18pm

A bill for an act
relating to higher education; modifying hunger-free campus program requirements;
increasing funding for the hunger-free campus grant program; appropriating money;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2021 Supplement, section 135A.137, subdivisions
3, 4; Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 2, article 1, section 2, subdivisions
1, 35.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2021 Supplement, section 135A.137, subdivision 3, is
amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Competitive grant.

(a) Institutions eligible for a grant under this subdivision
include public postsecondary institutions and Tribal colleges.

(b) The commissioner shall establish a competitive grant program to distribute grants
to eligible institutions to meet and maintain the requirements under subdivision 1, paragraph
(a). Initial grants shall be made to institutions that have not earned the designation and
demonstrate a need for funding to meet the hunger-free campus designation requirements.
Sustaining grants shall be made to institutions that have earned the designation and
demonstrate both a partnership with a local food bank or organization that provides regular,
on-campus food distributions and a need for funds to maintain the requirements under
subdivision 1, paragraph (a).

(c) The commissioner shall give preference to applications for initial grants and to
applications from institutions with the highest number of federal Pell Grant eligible students
enrolled. The commissioner shall consider the head count at the institution when awarding
grants. deleted text begin The maximum grant award for an initial institution designation is $8,000. The
maximum grant award for sustaining an institution designation is $5,000.
deleted text end

(d) The commissioner, in collaboration with student associations representing eligible
institutions, shall create an application process and establish selection criteria for awarding
the grants.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2021 Supplement, section 135A.137, subdivision 4, is amended
to read:

Subd. 4.

Grant requirements.

(a) An eligible institution that receives a grant under
subdivision 3 must:

(1) use the grant funds to meet or maintain the minimum criteria of a hunger-free campus
designation under subdivision 1; and

(2) match at least deleted text begin 50 deleted text end new text begin 25 new text end percent of the grant amount awarded with funds or in-kind
resources.

(b) In addition to the requirements of paragraph (a), in order to receive a sustaining grant,
an institution must demonstrate a partnership with a local food bank or organization or other
source of funding that ensures regular, on-campus distributions.

Sec. 3.

Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 2, article 1, section 2, subdivision 1, is
amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Total Appropriation

$

271,702,000

$

deleted text begin 274,269,000 deleted text end new text begin 274,470,000 new text end

The amounts that may be spent for each
purpose are specified in the following
subdivisions.

Sec. 4.

Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 2, article 1, section 2, subdivision 35, is
amended to read:

Subd. 35. Hunger-Free Campus Grants

205,000

deleted text begin 102,000 deleted text end new text begin 303,000 new text end

For the Office of Higher Education to provide
initial and sustaining grants to Minnesota
public postsecondary institutions and Tribal
colleges under Minnesota Statutes, section
deleted text begin 136F.245, subdivision 4 deleted text end new text begin 135A.137 new text end , to meet
and maintain the criteria in that same section
to address food insecurity on campus. new text begin The
base for this appropriation is $225,000 in fiscal
year 2024 and later.
new text end