Hot Meals for College Students Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 5429 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 5429

To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to allow benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance program to be used to purchase on- campus meals.

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IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 17, 2026

Mr. Schiff introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

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A BILL

To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to allow benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance program to be used to purchase on- campus meals.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Hot Meals for College Students Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. USE OF BENEFITS FOR ON-CAMPUS MEALS.

(a) In General.--Section 7 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2016) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(l) Use of Benefits for On-Campus Meals.-- ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection: ``(A) College student.--The term `college student' means a student enrolled in an institution of higher education. ``(B) Eligible student household.--The term `eligible student household' means a household that-- ``(i) is certified to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program; and ``(ii) includes a college student who is eligible to participate in that program as a member of the household. ``(C) 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). ``(D) On-campus meal.--The term `on-campus meal' means prepared food, including hot foods or hot food products ready for immediate consumption, but excluding alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and nonfood items, that-- ``(i) is sold at a dining hall, store, or other food service location located on the campus of an institution of higher education and operated by an on-campus merchant; and ``(ii) is purchased in a single transaction for a specific meal, including through online or mobile technology in accordance with subsection (h)(14) or (k), and, if benefits are accepted before delivery of the meal, in accordance with section 10. ``(E) On-campus merchant.--The term `on-campus merchant' means-- ``(i) an institution of higher education that operates a food service location described in subparagraph (D)(i); and ``(ii) a third-party food service contractor, subcontractor, or vendor that operates such a location under a written agreement with the institution of higher education. ``(2) Use of benefits.-- ``(A) In general.--Effective beginning on the date on which final regulations are issued under paragraph (4), benefits issued to an eligible student household may be used by the eligible student household to purchase on-campus meals. ``(B) Prohibited transactions.--Benefits under subparagraph (A) may not be used-- ``(i) to purchase or prepay a meal plan at an institution of higher education; ``(ii) to add value to a dining or stored- value account; ``(iii) to pay an outstanding balance on a college student account; or ``(iv) to pay a fee, gratuity, or other nonfood charge. ``(3) Authorization of on-campus merchants.-- ``(A) In general.--An on-campus merchant shall be eligible to apply for authorization under section 9 and, as applicable, under subsection (k), to accept and redeem benefits solely for on-campus meals. ``(B) No fees or surcharges.--An on-campus merchant authorized to accept and redeem benefits-- ``(i) shall charge the same prices and offer the same terms and conditions for purchases made with benefits as for purchases made with funds other than benefits; and ``(ii) shall not impose a fee or surcharge for the use of benefits. ``(4) Implementation.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall issue such regulations and guidance as are necessary to carry out this subsection, including requirements relating to-- ``(A) authorization and oversight of on-campus merchants; ``(B) identification of eligible student households through the electronic benefit transfer system without requiring an on-campus merchant to collect or retain information about the status of any college student; ``(C) protection of personally identifiable information, including limiting disclosure to information necessary to authorize a transaction; ``(D) compliance by on-campus merchants with the requirements of this Act, including subsection (k), section 10, and sections 274.7(b) and 278.2(e) of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations); and ``(E) technical assistance to State agencies, institutions of higher education, and on-campus merchants. ``(5) Study and report.-- ``(A) Study.--The Secretary shall conduct a study on the use of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits to purchase on-campus meals under this subsection, including-- ``(i)(I) the number of institutions of higher education at which on-campus merchants are authorized; and ``(II) the types of institutions of higher education at which on-campus merchants described in paragraph (1)(E)(ii) operate, including community colleges, minority-serving institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and rural-serving institutions; ``(ii) estimates on the number of eligible student households purchasing on-campus meals; ``(iii) redemption patterns, including transactions completed through online or mobile technology; ``(iv) barriers to authorization or participation experienced by on-campus merchants and eligible student households; and ``(v)(I) rates and levels of food insecurity among college students; ``(II) the effect of this subsection on food security among college students at participating institutions of higher education; and ``(III) retention rates among college students who report experiencing food insecurity. ``(B) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall make publicly available, and submit to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives, a report describing the results of the study conducted under subparagraph (A), including any recommendations for legislative action, administrative action, or guidance to improve college student access to on-campus meals under the supplemental nutrition assistance program. ``(6) Rules of construction.--Nothing in this subsection-- ``(A) alters the eligibility requirements for college students under section 6(e); or ``(B) deems a college student to be a resident of an institution for purposes of section 3(m)(4) solely because a college student in an eligible student household purchases an on-campus meal in a single transaction under this subsection.''. (b) Definitions.--Section 3 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012) is amended-- (1) in subsection (k)-- (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``clauses (3), (4), (5), (7), (8), and (9) of this subsection'' and inserting ``paragraphs (3), (4), (5), and (7) through (10)''; (B) by striking ``and (9)'' and inserting ``(9)''; and (C) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``, and (10) in the case of an eligible student household (as defined in section 7(l)(1)), an on-campus meal (as defined in that section) sold by an on-campus merchant (as defined in that section).''; and (2) in subsection (o)(2), by striking ``paragraphs (3), (4), (5), (7), (8), and (9)'' and inserting ``paragraphs (3), (4), (5), and (7) through (10)''. (c) Cost of Point-of-Sale Equipment.--Section 7(f)(2)(B)(ii) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2016(f)(2)(B)(ii)) is amended by striking ``(3), (4), and (9)'' and inserting ``(3), (4), (9), and (10)''. <all>