Hunger Free Summer for Kids Act of 2015

Summary: Hunger Free Summer for Kids Act of 2015 This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to establish electronic benefit (EBT) cards and off-site consumption as two alternative delivery options for schools and service institutions in the summer food service program for children. These options shall be available to a child only if the child lives either in a rural area or outside of an area in which poor economic conditions exist, or, in the case of off-site consumption, if the summer program is available to the child at a congregate feeding site but the site is inaccessible, as specified by the bill. A state may not operate the EBT card option and the off-site consumption option simultaneously in the same area. Each state desiring to participate in the summer food service program shall include in its annual management and administration plan the state's plans for using one or both of these alternative delivery options. 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Hunger Free Summer for Kids Act of 
2015''.

SEC. 2. ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS FOR PROGRAM DELIVERY.

    Section 13 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 
U.S.C. 1761) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following:
            ``(13) Alternative options for program delivery.--
                    ``(A) In general.--To reach children that do not 
                have readily available access to meals provided under 
                this section, the Secretary shall establish 2 
                alternative options for program delivery, including 
                summer food service program meals delivered through--
                            ``(i) an electronic benefit card (referred 
                        to this paragraph as an `EBT card') in 
                        accordance with subparagraph (C); and
                            ``(ii) off-site consumption in accordance 
                        with subparagraph (D).
                    ``(B) Purpose.--The Secretary shall design and 
                implement the alternative options described in 
                subparagraph (A) so as--
                            ``(i) to increase program effectiveness and 
                        efficiency;
                            ``(ii) to improve child nutrition; and
                            ``(iii) to reduce food insecurity among 
                        children.
                    ``(C) Electronic benefit transfer card.--
                            ``(i) In general.--As an alternative to the 
                        meals provided by eligible service institutions 
                        and private nonprofit organizations at 
                        congregate feeding sites, the Secretary shall 
                        establish an option for States, beginning in 
                        summer 2018, to issue EBT cards to children 
                        eligible to participate in the program.
                            ``(ii) Amount.--
                                    ``(I) In general.--Subject to 
                                subclause (III), the value of an EBT 
                                card under this subparagraph shall be 
                                $30, less administrative expenses, for 
                                each child.
                                    ``(II) Annual limitation.--No child 
                                may receive more than $100 under this 
                                subparagraph in any 12-month period.
                                    ``(III) Adjustment.--Each January 
                                1, the Secretary shall adjust the value 
                                described in subclause (I) by the same 
                                percentage as the adjustment made under 
                                subsection (b)(1)(B).
                            ``(iii) Timing of issuance.--EBT cards 
                        under this subparagraph may be used only when 
                        school is out of session for the summer period, 
                        as defined by the Secretary.
                            ``(iv) Use of benefits.--
                                    ``(I) In general.--An EBT card 
                                issued under this subparagraph may be 
                                used only for the purchase of food from 
                                retail stores approved for 
                                participation in the special 
                                supplemental nutrition program for 
                                women, infants, and children 
                                established by section 17 of the Child 
                                Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786).
                                    ``(II) Benefit redemption.--A 
                                retail store shall redeem EBT card 
                                benefits under this subparagraph in the 
                                same manner as benefit redemption under 
                                the special supplemental nutrition 
                                program described in subclause (I).
                            ``(v) Administration.--In administering the 
                        alternative option described in clause (i), the 
                        Secretary shall ensure that--
                                    ``(I) EBT cards are issued only to 
                                children residing--
                                            ``(aa) in a rural area, as 
                                        defined by the Secretary; or
                                            ``(bb) outside an area in 
                                        which poor economic conditions 
                                        exist;
                                    ``(II) EBT cards are not issued in 
                                an area in which congregate feeding 
                                sites are operating until the date on 
                                which the Secretary promulgates a 
                                regulation to prevent duplication in 
                                benefits received;
                                    ``(III) not more than 2.5 percent 
                                of the amount of benefits described in 
                                clause (ii)(I) is used for 
                                administrative expenses;
                                    ``(IV) EBT cards are issued to 
                                children only through an application 
                                process developed by the Secretary; and
                                    ``(V) EBT cards are issued only to 
                                children who have been determined to be 
                                eligible for free or reduced price 
                                school meals under this Act and the 
                                Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 
                                1771 et seq.).
                    ``(D) Off-site consumption.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Secretary shall 
                        establish an option for service institutions, 
                        beginning in summer 2018, to provide summer 
                        food service program meals for children 
                        eligible to participate in the program to 
                        consume off-site.
                            ``(ii) Availability.--The option described 
                        in clause (i) shall be available to children 
                        only when at least 1 of the following 
                        conditions is present:
                                    ``(I) The child lives in a rural 
                                area, as defined by the Secretary.
                                    ``(II) The child lives outside an 
                                area in which poor economic conditions 
                                exist.
                                    ``(III) The program is available to 
                                the child at a congregate feeding site 
                                but--
                                            ``(aa) the site is closed 
                                        due to extreme weather 
                                        conditions;
                                            ``(bb) violence or other 
                                        public safety concerns in the 
                                        area prevent the child from 
                                        traveling safely to the site;
                                            ``(cc) the site is only 
                                        open 4 or fewer days a week; or
                                            ``(dd) the site only 
                                        provides 1 meal per day.
                            ``(iii) Administration.--In administering 
                        the alternative option described in clause (i), 
                        the Secretary shall ensure that--
                                    ``(I) when providing meals under 
                                the condition described in clause 
                                (ii)(III)(cc), the number of meals 
                                served to each child in a single meal 
                                service is limited to 2 meals; and
                                    ``(II) any meal served meets the 
                                same standards for safety and quality 
                                as a meal served at a congregate 
                                feeding site.
                    ``(E) Scope.--In implementing the alternative 
                options described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary 
                shall--
                            ``(i) permit States to operate either 
                        alternative option but prohibit States from 
                        operating both alternative delivery options 
                        simultaneously in the same area; and
                            ``(ii) permit States to implement either 
                        alternative option in some or all eligible 
                        areas in a State.
                    ``(F) Program integrity.--Not later than October 1, 
                2017, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations, with 
                an opportunity for notice and comment, to ensure the 
                integrity of the 2 alternative options for program 
                delivery described in this paragraph.''; and
            (2) in subsection (n)--
                    (A) by striking ``and (6)'' and inserting ``(6)''; 
                and
                    (B) by striking the period at the end and inserting 
                ``; and (7) the plans of the State for using 1 or both 
                of the alternative options for program delivery 
                described in subsection (a)(13).''.