Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Foster and Homeless Youth Food Security Act of 2023”.
Foster and Homeless Youth Food Security Act of 2023
A BILL
To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to provide certain alternative eligibility requirements applicable to foster care youth, and homeless youth, who are enrolled at least half-time in an institution of higher education, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Amendments
by inserting after subsection (j) the following:
“(j–1) “foster care individual”—
“(1) means an individual whose care and placement are the responsibility of the State or Tribal agency that administers a State or Tribal plan under part B or E of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 621 et seq.), without regard to whether foster care maintenance payments are made under section 472 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 672) on behalf of such individual; and
“(2) includes an individual who was age 13 or older when the individual’s care and placement were the responsibility of a State or Tribal agency that administered a State or Tribal plan under part B or E of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 621 et seq.) and who is no longer under the care and responsibility of such a State or tribal agency, without regard to any such individual’s subsequent adoption, guardianship arrangement, or other form of permanency outcome.”
in subsection (l)—
in paragraph (2) by striking “or” at the end;
by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and
by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
“(2) a homeless child or youth as defined in section 725 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act; or”
Availability of prepared meals— Section 3(k) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012(k)) is amended—
by striking “and (9)” the 1st place it appears and inserting “(9), and (10)”;
by striking “and (9)” the last place it appears and inserting “(9)”; and
by inserting before the period at the end the following:
Treatment As Separate Household— Section 3(m)(5) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012(m)(5)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(F) Foster care individuals, or homeless individuals, over 17 and not over 26 years of age enrolled at least half-time in an institution of higher education (as determined by such institution) that provides such individuals with housing that lacks individualized cooking facilities.”
Retail food store— Section 3(o)(2) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012(o)(2)) is amended—
by inserting “institution” after “program”; and
by striking “and (9)” and inserting “(9), and (10)”.
Limitation on eligibility exclusion— Section 6(e) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2015(e)) is amended—
in paragraph (7) by striking “or” at the end;
by redesignating paragraph (8) as paragraph (9); and
by inserting after paragraph (7) the following:
“(8) is a foster care individual, or a homeless individual, over 17 and not over 26 years of age who is so enrolled as determined by such institution; or”
Sec. 3 Technical assistance or guidance
The Secretary of Agriculture shall provide technical assistance or guidance to State agencies for the purpose of implementing the amendments made by this Act.