SB 97 — Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program; establishment of student meal plan credit donation program.
Last action — Continued from last session
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✓Introduced
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✓In Committee
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3Passed Senate
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4Passed House of Delegates
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5To Executive
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6Enacted
This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced December 31, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.
Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the House of Delegates.
Prognosis
Where this bill stands today.
Odds of enactment
HighHow often bills like it became law.
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Passed Senate
Current position in the legislative process.
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1 sponsor
1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.
Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.
In plain language
The bill expands a program to support student food pantries and meal credit donations at colleges.
This bill establishes the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program, requiring colleges to create food pantries and allow students to donate unused meal credits. It aims to reduce student food insecurity by supporting on-campus initiatives.
What this means for you
- Students: This means you'll have more opportunities to support classmates in need by donating unused meal plan credits.
Summary
Institutions of higher education; Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry Grant Program; establishment of student meal plan credit donation program. Renames the Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry Grant Program, established pursuant to applicable law, as "the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program" and amends the Program by expanding the criteria that a public institution of higher education or eligible private institution of higher education must satisfy to receive a designation as a "Hunger-Free Campus" and be awarded a grant under the Program to include a requirement that any such institution to establish both (i) an on-campus food pantry, pursuant to current law, and (ii) if such institution offers a meal swipe program or equivalent student meal swipe plan, a student meal credit sharing program, whereby students may voluntarily donate unused meal plan credits to be distributed for use by other students at campus dining halls or at its on-campus food pantry or to otherwise support its on-campus food pantry. The bill also requires grants awarded pursuant to the Program to be used to support on-campus efforts and initiatives to eliminate student food insecurity at such institution through the maintenance and operation of both its food pantry, pursuant to current law, and its student meal credit sharing program established in accordance with the bill.
Bill Text
What changed in the latest version
48 added · 52 removedPlain-language change summary
The latest version of Senate Bill 97 adds a date for when the bill will be considered, specifically January 22, 2026. It includes a new section about creating a student meal plan credit donation program to help address food insecurity among students at universities. This change is important because it expands the resources available to students in need, promoting a hunger-free campus environment. Additionally, the bill maintains its focus on addressing food insecurity and collaboration between various educational institutions.
+OFFERED 2027FOR SESSIONCONSIDERATION 1/22/2026 + + INTRODUCED+ + + + 26100751D+ + SENATE BILL NO.
97 I+ Offered+ AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE + + (Proposed by the Senate Committee on Education and Health + on January 14,22, 20262026) N+ + (Patron Prior to Substitute—Senator Roem) + A BILL to amend and reenact § 23.1-409.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to institutions of higher T education;
R ————— O Patron—Roem ————— D Referred to Committee on Education and Health ————— U C Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
E § 23.1-409.2.
As used in this section, "eligible private institution of higher education" means a nonprofit private D institution of higher education whose primary purpose is to provide collegiate, graduate, or professional education and not to provide religious training or theological education.
The Program shall be managed by the Council and available for participation by public institutions S of higher education;
The Council 25 shall review applications from such institutions, and if an institution satisfies the criteria set out in subsection C, it shall receive a "Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry" designation and the Council shall award a grant to such institution.
An institution that receives a grant pursuant to this section shall utilize the funds to support on-campus efforts and initiatives to eliminate student food insecurity at such institution through the maintenance and operation of its food pantry andand, if applicable, student meal credit sharing program established pursuant to subsection C.
DRAFT OFFERED FOR CONSIDERATION 1/22/2026 C.
35 1.
An on-campus food pantry or partner with a local food bank to provide information to students about 36 food services in the local area.
All food provided from the on-campus food pantry shall be free of charge, and 37 no student shall be required to demonstrate food insecurity to access such pantry.
However, an institution 38 may require that an individual show a valid student identification card to access food from the on-campus / 39 food pantry;
AIf such institution offers a meal swipe program or equivalent student meal swipe plan, a student meal credit sharing program, whereby students may voluntarily donate unused meal plan credits to be distributed for use by other students at campus dining halls or at its on-campus food pantry, or to be used to support its on-campus food pantry.
View plain text versions (2)
- Substitute Education and Health Substitute Current pdf
- Introduced View text pdf
Compared against the Code of Virginia as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.
This bill amends 1 section(s) of the Code of Virginia: 23.1-409.2.
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23.1-409.2
Food PantryStrikes “Food Pantry”.
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23.1-409.2
Food PantryStrikes “Food Pantry”.
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23.1-409.2
and student meal credit sharing program
Inserts “and student meal credit sharing program”.
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23.1-409.2
Food PantryStrikes “Food Pantry”.
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23.1-409.2
anStrikes “an”.
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23.1-409.2
:
Inserts “:”.
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23.1-409.2
1. An
Inserts “1. An”.
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23.1-409.2
; and
Inserts “; and”.
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23.1-409.2
2. A student meal credit sharing program, whereby students may voluntarily donate unused meal plan credits to be distributed f
Inserts “2. A student meal credit sharing program, whereby students may voluntarily donate unused meal plan credits to be distributed f”.
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23.1-409.2
or use by other students
Inserts “or use by other students”.
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23.1-409.2
at
Inserts “at”.
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23.1-409.2
campus dining halls or
Inserts “campus dining halls or”.
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23.1-409.2
at its on-campus food pantry
Inserts “at its on-campus food pantry”.
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23.1-409.2
,
Inserts “,”.
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23.1-409.2
or to be used to support its on-
Inserts “or to be used to support its on-”.
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23.1-409.2
campus food pantry.
Inserts “campus food pantry.”.
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23.1-409.2
Each institution shall develop procedures for such meal
Inserts “Each institution shall develop procedures for such meal”.
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23.1-409.2
plan
Inserts “plan”.
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23.1-409.2
credit donation program
Inserts “credit donation program”.
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23.1-409.2
, including procedures for how a student may donate his unused meal p
Inserts “, including procedures for how a student may donate his unused meal p”.
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23.1-409.2
lan credits and how a student in need can apply to receive any donated meal plan credits
Inserts “lan credits and how a student in need can apply to receive any donated meal plan credits”.
Action History
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Continued from last session
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Continued to next session in Appropriations (Voice Vote)
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Reported from Education and referred to Appropriations (18-Y 3-N)
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Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations (9-Y 1-N)
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Assigned HED sub: Higher Education
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Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB97)
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Referred to Committee on Education
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Read first time
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Placed on Calendar
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Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
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Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute
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Committee substitute agreed to
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Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote)
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Education and Health Substitute agreed to
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Read second time
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Passed by for the day
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Committee substitute printed 26105701D-S1
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Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
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Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
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Rules suspended
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Reported from Education and Health with substitute (14-Y 0-N)
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Senate committee offered
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Senate subcommittee offered
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Assigned Education sub: Higher Education
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Referred to Committee on Education and Health
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Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100751D
Sponsors
- Danica A. Roem · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 147 not signed on
Sponsors (1)
Co-sponsors (0)
None.
Not signed on (147)
147 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 147 →"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- What does SB 97 do?
- Institutions of higher education; Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry Grant Program; establishment of student meal plan credit donation program. Renames the Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry Grant Program, established pursuant to applicable law, as "the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program" and amends the Program by expanding the criteria that a public institution of higher education or eligible private institution of higher education must satisfy to receive a designation as a "Hunger-Free Campus" and be awarded a grant under the Program to include a requirement that any such institution to establish both (i) an on-campus food pantry, pursuant to current law, and (ii) if such institution offers a meal swipe program or equivalent student meal swipe plan, a student meal credit sharing program, whereby students may voluntarily donate unused meal plan credits to be distributed for use by other students at campus dining halls or at its on-campus food pantry or to otherwise support its on-campus food pantry. The bill also requires grants awarded pursuant to the Program to be used to support on-campus efforts and initiatives to eliminate student food insecurity at such institution through the maintenance and operation of both its food pantry, pursuant to current law, and its student meal credit sharing program established in accordance with the bill.
- Who sponsors SB 97?
- SB 97 is sponsored by Danica A. Roem.
- What is the current status of SB 97?
- This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced December 31, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.
- Where can I track SB 97?
- Track SB 97 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
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