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A 5579

Relates to acts of domestic violence committed in the presence of children

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Ken Blankenbush and 1 co-sponsor

Public colleges must share SNAP and campus/community food resources info developed by DHS to new students and at each registration, boosting access for food-insecure students.

HELD FOR CONSIDERATION IN CODES
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Bill Summary · A 5579

Summary of Assembly Bill A-5579 (New Jersey)

Note: The bill as introduced concerns student access to food assistance information and on-campus/community food resources. The bill’s official introduced text places it under Title 18A (Education) and Title 44 (Revised Statutes) and it is currently listed as HELD FOR CONSIDERATION IN CODES.

Purpose and intent

  • To ensure public students are informed about nutrition assistance options, including the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and to provide information on campus and community food resources.
  • The bill aims to improve awareness and access to food assistance for students experiencing food insecurity.

Key provisions

  1. Department of Human Services (DHS) duty

    • In consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education, DHS must develop general information about SNAP.
    • The information must include a link to the SNAP application and a link to NJ 211 (the state information and referral service for health, emergency, and human services).

  2. Public institutions of higher education (PIHEs) duties

    • Each public college/university must, with the initial offer of admission, and then again via email at each semester’s registration:
      • Include the DHS-developed SNAP information (as described above).
      • Include information about any food assistance, pantry, meal swipe, or similar programs offered by the institution or located in the community.

  3. Effective date

    • The act would take effect immediately upon enactment.

Affected entities

  • Public institutions of higher education in New Jersey (e.g., state colleges and universities).
  • The New Jersey Department of Human Services.
  • The Secretary of Higher Education (in an advisory/consultative role with DHS).

Fiscal impact (per the fiscal note)

  • The OLS projects potential state expenditure increases for public institutions of higher education, depending on how much existing efforts already meet the bill’s requirements.
  • Many institutions may already be compliant due to ongoing hunger-awareness initiatives (e.g., Hunger-Free Campus Act of 2019), which may limit additional costs.
  • DHS is expected to incur little to no new cost because it already provides SNAP information and resources online.
  • The Hunger-Free Campus Act (established grants to promote campus awareness and SNAP enrollment support) demonstrates prior state investments in similar activities; in FY 2025, about $1.1 million in grants was distributed to 28 of 31 public institutions.

Timeline and procedural status

  • Introduced: May 5, 2025
  • Committee referrals: Assembly Higher Education; Assembly Appropriations
  • Status: HELD FOR CONSIDERATION IN CODES (as of May 13, 2025)
  • Related/companion bills: S-3890 (companion); prior-session bills A-8810, A-5751, A-8305, A-2634

Sponsors

  • Primary: Joseph Sempolinski
  • Co-sponsor: Kenneth Blankenbush

Context and considerations

  • The bill aligns with existing state efforts to reduce food insecurity among college students by increasing visibility of SNAP and campus/community food resources.
  • It leverages DHS and higher education leadership to ensure consistent messaging across public institutions.
  • While the fiscal note signals potential cost implications for some PIHEs, the overall impact is expected to be modest, given existing programs and prior hunger-related initiatives.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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