Sec. 5. Demonstration pilot program
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The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: In this section: The term college student means a student enrolled in an institution of higher education. The term institution of higher education has the meaning given the term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1002 ). The term pilot program means the pilot program established under subsection (b). The Secretary, in collaboration with the Secretary of Education, shall establish a pilot program under which the Secretary shall carry out demonstration projects in accordance with subsection (c)— to decrease student hunger at institutions of higher education; and to reduce barriers to college students fully utilizing supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits at institutions of higher education.
To carry out the pilot program, the Secretary shall carry out demonstration projects that test the following new supplemental nutrition assistance program delivery methods: Allowing a college student receiving supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits to use those benefits or the cash value of those benefits— to purchase prepared foods from a campus dining hall, on-campus store, or other on-campus merchant or provider that typically sells prepared meals and is affiliated with the institution of higher education at which the student is enrolled; and to pay the institution of higher education the cost of an on-campus college meal plan, in whole or in part.
Allowing a college student to use an EBT card or a campus-specific card at any of the locations described in paragraph (1)(A). The Secretary shall carry out not more than 10 demonstration projects under the pilot program simultaneously. The Secretary shall carry out not more than 1 demonstration project under the pilot program at any single institution of higher education. The Secretary shall establish criteria and parameters for selecting, operating, monitoring, and terminating each demonstration project under the pilot program.
To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall ensure that the termination of a demonstration project under the pilot program shall not cause sudden adverse changes or the elimination of benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance program for students participating in the demonstration project. The pilot program shall terminate on the date that is 10 years after the date on which the pilot program is established. For the duration of the pilot program, the Secretary shall, in collaboration with the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics and the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences, conduct an annual evaluation of each demonstration project carried out under the pilot program during the year covered by the evaluation, including an analysis of the extent to which the project is meeting the desired outcomes.
For the duration of the pilot program, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committees on Agriculture and Education and Labor of the House of Representatives an annual report that includes— a description of each demonstration project carried out under the pilot program during the year covered by the report; the evaluation conducted under subsection (h); and recommendations for legislation to improve the supplemental nutrition assistance program to better serve college students.
Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary may, as may be necessary solely to carry out the pilot program— waive any provision under this Act, including— the requirement relating to local sales tax under section 4(a); requirements relating to the issuance and use of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits under section 7; and requirements for approval of retail food stores under section 9; and modify the definitions under this Act for the purposes of the pilot program, including the definition of— the term food under section 3(k); the term household under section 3(m); and the term retail food store under section 3(o).
The Secretary may not waive a provision or modify a definition under paragraph
(1)if the waiver or modification will— cause increased difficulty for any household to apply for or access supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits; or reduce the value of those benefits for any household. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as are necessary to carry out this section. .
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