BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Senator Carol Liu, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: AB 1747
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|Author: |Weber |
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|Version: |May 31, 2016 Hearing |
| |Date: June 22, 2016 |
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|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |Yes |
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|Consultant:|Lynn Lorber |
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Subject: Food assistance: higher education students
NOTE: This bill has been referred to the Committees on
Education and Human Services. A "do pass" motion should include
referral to the Committee on Human Services.
SUMMARY
This bill requires each public and private postsecondary
education institution that is located in a county that
participates in the Restaurant Meals Program to apply to become
an approved food vendor for participation in this program.
BACKGROUND
Existing law:
1) Establishes the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) and the CalFresh program which administers
the federal SNAP benefit program for families and
individuals meeting income and other eligibility criteria.
(Welfare and Institutions Code § 18900, et seq.)
2) Establishes the Restaurant Meals Program within the SNAP
program to allow eligible homeless, disabled or elderly
SNAP (CalFresh in California) recipients to purchase hot,
prepared food from participating restaurants.
(United States Code, Title 7, § 2020)
AB 1747 (Weber) Page 2
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ANALYSIS
This bill requires each public and private postsecondary
education institution that is located in a county that
participates in the Restaurant Meals Program to apply to become
an approved food vendor for participation in this program.
Specifically, this bill:
1) Requires each public and private postsecondary education
institution that is located in a county that participates
in the Restaurant Meals Program to do all of the following:
a) Apply to become an approved food vendor
for the Restaurant Meals Program, if the institution
operates any qualifying food facility on campus.
b) Annually provide all on-campus food
vendors not operated by the institution with
information regarding the Restaurant Meals Program and
the manner in which to apply.
c) If an on-campus food vendor has been
approved to participate in the Restaurant Meals
Program, annually inform students about the program
using information provided by the Department of Social
Services.
2) Provides that this bill does not require an institution to
create, operate, or maintain an electronic benefits
transfer system on behalf of on-campus food vendors.
3) Establishes the Public Higher Education Pantry Assistance
Program Account in the existing Emergency Food Assistance
Fund, and requires funds in the pantry account, upon
appropriation by the Legislature, to be allocated to the
Department of Social Services for allocation to food banks
that meet both of the following criteria:
a) The primary function of the food bank
is the distribution of food to low-income households.
b) The food bank has identified specific
costs associated with supporting on-campus pantry and
AB 1747 (Weber) Page 3
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hunger relief efforts serving low-income students.
4) Requires the Department of Social Services to act as the
public postsecondary education institution's state entity
for receipt of matching funds if the institution is
successful in raising money for CalFresh outreach
activities and has secured a local governmental agency to
serve as the contracting agency.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Need for the bill. According to the author, "An increasing
number of students face homelessness and food insecurity
that, ultimately, hinders their success in college while
increasing the likelihood of an incomplete postsecondary
education. In January 2016, the California State
University (CSU) released results from a study to determine
how well CSU campuses are meeting the needs of homeless and
food insecure students. Student survey results found that
24% of students were food insecure. Student food
insecurity and student homelessness issues were also topics
in November 2015, at an Assembly Select Committee on Campus
Climate hearing in San Diego. The select committee heard
about issues related to student food insecurity and student
homelessness from colleges and universities in San Diego
County. It became evident that every college and
university handles these issues differently."
2) Who is eligible to be served? The Restaurant Meals Program
is restricted to people who are elderly, homeless, or
disabled. This bill does not expand eligibility for the
Restaurant Meals Program to students who are not elderly,
homeless, or disabled. Staff understands that eligibility
is determined by the federal United Stated Department of
Agriculture, and therefore state statute
cannot expand eligibility for the Restaurant Meals Program
to students who are not elderly, homeless, or disabled. As
a result, this bill would apply only to individuals
(including students) who are elderly, homeless, or
disabled.
This bill does not limit participation in the Restaurant
Meals Program on postsecondary education campuses to
AB 1747 (Weber) Page 4
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eligible students. Therefore, all eligible recipients
(elderly, homeless, or disabled), regardless of whether or
not the recipient is a student on that campus, would be
able to access the approved food facilities on campuses.
Staff notes that a member of the general public may
currently access a food facility on a campus without being
a student, faculty or employee of that campus.
This bill does not modify or expand eligibility for
CalFresh; a person accessing a Restaurant Meals Program on
a postsecondary education campus would have to be enrolled
in CalFresh.
3) Restaurant Meals Program. The Restaurant Meals Program is
an option within the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) program to allow eligible elderly, homeless,
or disabled SNAP (CalFresh in California) recipients to
purchase hot, prepared food from participating restaurants.
Participation in the Restaurant Meals Program by a county
is voluntary, and requires a county that wishes to
participate to submit a proposal for approval to the
California Department of Social Services (DSS).
Restaurants that apply to participate in this program must
meet specific requirements, including entering into a
Memorandum of Understanding with the county to delineate
the responsibilities of each entity. Staff recommends an
amendment to require a food vendor on a postsecondary
education institution that participates in the Restaurant
Meals Program to meet the existing requirements and
standards for the Restaurant Meals Program. This bill has
been double-referred to the Human Services Committee; due
to timing, this amendment should be adopted in the Human
Services Committee.
4) County participation. Participation by counties in the
Restaurant Meals Program is voluntary. There are currently
only six counties in California that have chosen to
participate: Alameda, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego,
San Francisco, and Santa Clara counties. A participating
county must specific requirements, including entering into
a Memorandum of Understanding with the food vendor to
delineate the responsibilities of each entity. Staff
recommends an amendment to require a county that
participates in the Restaurant Meals Program to meet the
AB 1747 (Weber) Page 5
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existing requirements and standards for the Restaurant
Meals Program. This bill has been double-referred to the
Human Services Committee; due to timing, this amendment
should be adopted in the Human Services Committee.
5) Qualifying food facility. This bill requires postsecondary
education institutions to apply to participate in the
Restaurant Meals Program for food facilities operated by
institutions (not for food facilities operated by a
vendor). This bill requires institutions to provide
information to food facilities operated by a vendor
about the Restaurant Meals Program and how to apply to
participate. Should the next contract with the vendor
include a requirement that the vendor apply to participate
in the Restaurant Meals Program?
6) Existing efforts on public campuses. The University of
California (UC) launched the Global Food Initiative, and in
March 2015, the President of the UC allocated $75,000 per
campus to support the effort. As part of the first phase,
UC Global Food Initiative working groups are developing
best practices, and the toolkits to implement them, that,
once successfully deployed systemwide at UC, can be offered
to schools and communities nationwide. Many UC campuses
have food pantries and partner with local food banks.
The Chancellor of the California State University (CSU)
commissioned a study to shed light on how CSU campuses were
meeting the needs of displaced and food insecure students
and to offer recommendations to ensure success and
graduation for these students. The study found, among
others, that student survey results showed 24% of students
expressing they had food insecurities; 11 campuses had
programs for food insecure students, ranging from small
food pantries to large programs and services; five campuses
incorporate students' needs as part of student success
directives and the university mission; and, students who
experienced food and/or housing instability reported high
levels of stress and the need for single points of contact.
[http://www.calstate.edu/acadaff/documents/servingdisplaceda
ndfoodinsecurestudetnsinthecsujanuary20163.8.16.pdf]
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It appears there is no systemwide coordinated effort to help
combat student food insecurities issues at the California
Community Colleges (CCC); however, some CCC campuses have
various activities in place to address the needs of the
students.
7) Fiscal impact. According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, this bill may result in minor and absorbable
costs associated with applying to become an approved vendor
for the Restaurant Meals Program.
8) Prior legislation. AB 832 (Weber, 2013) required all
convenience stores and bookstores located on campuses of
the CSU, UC, and the CCCs to accept the use of electronic
benefits transfer cards. AB 832 was never heard.
SUPPORT
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
California Association of Food Banks
California Faculty Association
California Food Policy Advocates
California Health+ Advocates
California Immigrant Policy Center
California State Student Association
California State University
Feeding America San Diego
National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter
San Diego Hunger Advocacy Network
Western Center on Law & Poverty
Young Invincibles, West Coast
OPPOSITION
None received.
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