II
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2881
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 21, 2023
Mr. Padilla (for himself, Mr. Welch, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Wyden, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Bennet, and Mr. Fetterman) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
A BILL
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require institutions of higher education to provide notice to students participating in a State or federally financed work-study program about potential eligibility for participation in the supplemental nutrition assistance program, and for other purposes.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Opportunity To Address College Hunger Act
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Notification regarding SNAP for students participating in a State or federally financed work-study program
Section 443 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087–53) is amended by adding at the end the following:
Notification regarding SNAP
In general
An institution receiving a grant under this part shall send a notification (by email or other electronic means) to each eligible student informing the student of their potential eligibility for participation in SNAP and the process for obtaining more information, confirming eligibility, and accessing benefits under that program. The notification shall be developed by the Secretary of Education in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, and shall include details on eligibility requirements for participation in SNAP that a student must satisfy. The notification shall be, to the extent practicable, specific to the student’s State of residence and shall provide contact information for the local office where an application for SNAP may be made.
Evidence of participation in federally financed work-study program
The notification under paragraph (1) shall include an official document confirming that the recipient is an eligible student sufficient for purposes of demonstrating that the exclusion from ineligibility for participation in SNAP under section 6(e)(4) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2015(e)(4)) applies to the student.
Guidance
The Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall provide guidance to States and institutions of higher education on how to identify and communicate with students who are likely to be eligible for SNAP, including those eligible for a State or federally financed work-study program.
Definitions
For purposes of this subsection:
The term eligible student means a student that is participating in a State or federally financed work-study program.
The term SNAP means the supplemental nutrition assistance program established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.).
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