HB 915

                                                    PRINTER'S NO.   964
                THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
                    HOUSE BILL
                    No. 915
                                            Session of
                                              2025
INTRODUCED BY SHUSTERMAN, HILL-EVANS, GIRAL, FREEMAN, SANCHEZ,
   OTTEN, MALAGARI, KENYATTA, HOWARD, DALEY, GREEN, CEPEDA-
   FREYTIZ, MAYES AND FLEMING, MARCH 17, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES, MARCH 17, 2025
                                  AN ACT
1 Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2    act relating to the public school system, including certain
3    provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4    schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5    laws relating thereto," providing for Child and Adult Care
6    Food Program Supplement.
7    The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9    Section 1.     The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
10 as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding an
11 article to read:
12ARTICLE XV-O
13CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM SUPPLEMENT
14 Section 1501-O.    Definitions.
15    The following words and phrases when used in this article
16 shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
17 context clearly indicates otherwise:
18    "Department."    The Department of Education of the
19 Commonwealth.
1    "Enrollee."     An individual enrolled in a program-
2 participating facility and defined as eligible for the program
3 under 42 U.S.C. § 1766 (relating to child and adult care food
4 program).
5    "Facility."     An eligible care center, as defined under 42
6 U.S.C. § 1766 receiving reimbursements for meals served to
7 enrollees under the program.
8    "Program."     The Child and Adult Care Food Program as
9 established under 42 U.S.C. § 1766 and administered by the
10 Federal and State agencies as provided by law.
11    "Supplement."     The Child and Adult Care Food Program
12 Supplement established in this article, which shall constitute
13 supplemental financial reimbursements under the program to
14 facilities for food that they serve to enrollees.
15 Section 1502-O.    Establishment and administration of supplement.
16    (a)     Establishment.--The Child and Adult Care Food Program
17 Supplement is established.
18    (b)     Administration.--The department shall:
19(1)   Administer the supplement, which shall include, to
20    every extent possible, the coordination of financial
21    reimbursements with other State departments and agencies as
22    necessary.
23(2)   Develop rules and regulations necessary to
24    administer the supplement.
25 Section 1503-O.    Funding.
26    The General Assembly shall appropriate funds from the General
27 Fund to the department for the purpose of administering the
28 program.
29 Section 1504-O.    Procedures.
30    (a)     Applications.--To implement the supplement during and
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1 after the initial round of funding, the department shall request
2 applications for funding from facilities. Applications shall be
3 provided in electronic and physical form.
4    (b)   Criteria.--The department may award a supplement to a
5 facility in accordance with the following:
6(1)   For the first round of funding for a facility, or in
7    the case of a facility that receives reimbursements under the
8    program but did not receive a supplement during the previous
9    year, the department shall award funding to the facility that
10    demonstrates the ability of the facility to:
11(i)    Better serve food to additional enrollees.
12(ii)    Do any of the following:
13(A)   If the facility is a nonprofit organization
14or an emergency shelter, bolster the facility's near-
15term and long-term fiscal stability or provide for
16further care and educational opportunities for the
17facility's enrollees.
18(B)   If the facility is a for-profit
19organization, provide for further care and
20educational opportunities for the facility's
21enrollees.
22(2)   If the facility received reimbursements in the
23    initial round of funding or received funding any year after
24    through the supplement, the facility must demonstrate that
25    the supplemental financial reimbursements allowed, and will
26    continue to allow, the facility to:
27(i)    Better serve food to additional enrollees.
28(ii)    Do any of the following:
29(A)   If the facility is a nonprofit organization
30or an emergency shelter, bolster the facility's near-
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1term and long-term fiscal stability or provide for
2further care and educational opportunities for the
3facility's enrollees.
4(B)   If the facility is a for-profit
5organization, provide for further care and
6educational opportunities for the facility's
7enrollees.
8 Section 1505-O.     Priority in funding.
9    The department shall prioritize funding under the supplement
10 in a manner, as determined by the department, that maximizes the
11 number of enrollees who are fully nourished while in the care of
12 the facilities.
13 Section 1506-O.     Annual report.
14    (a)   General requirement.--No later than the June 1 following
15 the date of each appropriation under section 1503-O, the
16 department shall compile an annual report on the program and the
17 supplement.
18    (b)   Submittal.--Each annual report shall be submitted to the
19 following:
20(1)   The Governor.
21(2)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
22    Aging and Youth Committee of the Senate.
23(3)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
24    Aging and Older Adult Services Committee of the House of
25    Representatives.
26(4)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
27    Children and Youth Committee of the House of Representatives.
28(5)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
29    Appropriations Committee of the Senate.
30(6)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
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1    Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives.
2(7)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
3    Education Committee of the Senate.
4(8)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
5    Education Committee of the House of Representatives.
6    (c)   Contents.--Each annual report shall include the
7 following:
8(1)   The number of facilities participating in the
9    program.
10(2)   The number of those facilities participating in the
11    supplement.
12(3)   The number of meals served through the program with
13    and without the supplement.
14(4)   A summary of the types of meals served to enrollees.
15(5)   The amount of money projected to be necessary during
16    the next year to allow all enrollees to receive nutritious
17    meals and snacks.
18    Section 2.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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