BILL ANALYSIS Ó SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION Senator Carol Liu, Chair 2015 - 2016 Regular Bill No: AB 1747 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Author: |Weber | |-----------+-----------------------------------------------------| |Version: |May 31, 2016 Hearing | | |Date: June 22, 2016 | ----------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- |Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |Yes | ---------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Consultant:|Lynn Lorber | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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 of ? 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 of ? 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 of ? 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 of ? 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] AB 1747 (Weber) Page 6 of ? 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. -- END --