For the department of higher education to support a hunger-free campus initiative in order to address food insecurity at 2- and 4-year public institutions of higher learning and minority-serving institutions as defined by the United States Department of Education; provided, that the department may award grants to campuses that maximize student enrollment in federal nutrition benefit programs, promote on-campus grocers that accept nutrition benefit program benefits, increase access to available meal cards and meal swipe options where feasible, maximize student access to on-campus or area food pantries in collaboration with regional food banks and support other campus-designed projects to address college student food insecurity that are developed through task forces that include students with lived experience in food insecurity; provided further, that the department shall issue a request for proposals through which colleges may apply and award grants based on the demonstrated need and a proposed implementation plan submitted by each applicant; and provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, within 90 days following the enactment of the general appropriations act, the commissioner of higher education shall submit to the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on higher education and the clerks of the house of representatives and senate a report that identifies the date by which the request for proposals will be issued to eligible colleges and the deadline for responses
