School Hunger Elimination Act of 2022
Bill: H.R.7027 | Sponsor: Rep. Hayes, Jahana (D-CT)
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
School Hunger Elimination Act of 2022
This bill revises requirements under the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program of the Department of Agriculture, including by expanding mandatory direct certification of low-income children for free or reduced-price meals.

To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to improve 
             program requirements, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``School Hunger Elimination Act of 
2022''.

SEC. 2. UNIVERSAL MEDICAID DIRECT CERTIFICATION.

    Section 9(b)(15) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(15)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A)--
                    (A) by striking clause (i) and inserting the 
                following:
                            ``(i) Eligible child.--
                                    ``(I) In general.--The term 
                                `eligible child' means a child who--
                                            ``(aa)(AA) is eligible for 
                                        and receiving medical 
                                        assistance under the Medicaid 
                                        program; and
                                            ``(BB) is a member of a 
                                        family with an income as 
                                        measured by the Medicaid 
                                        program that does not exceed, 
                                        in the case of eligibility for 
                                        free meals, 133 percent of the 
                                        poverty line (as defined in 
                                        section 673(2) of the Community 
                                        Services Block Grant Act (42 
                                        U.S.C. 9902(2)), including any 
                                        revision required by such 
                                        section) applicable to a family 
                                        of the size used for purposes 
                                        of determining eligibility for 
                                        the Medicaid program, or, in 
                                        the case of eligibility for 
                                        reduced price meals, the 
                                        applicable family size income 
                                        level under the income 
                                        eligibility guidelines for 
                                        reduced price meals; or
                                            ``(bb) is a member of a 
                                        household (as that term is 
                                        defined in section 245.2 of 
                                        title 7, Code of Federal 
                                        Regulations (or a successor 
                                        regulation)) with a child 
                                        described in item (aa).
                                    ``(II) Other children.--The term 
                                `eligible child' includes a child who 
                                is eligible for and receiving medical 
                                assistance under the Medicaid program 
                                under subclause (I) of section 
                                1902(a)(10)(A)(i) of the Social 
                                Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
                                1396a(a)(10)(A)(i))--
                                            ``(aa) on the basis of 
                                        receiving aid or assistance 
                                        under the State plan approved 
                                        under part E of title IV of 
                                        that Act (42 U.S.C. 670 et 
                                        seq.);
                                            ``(bb) by reason of section 
                                        473(b) of that Act (42 U.S.C. 
                                        673(b)); or
                                            ``(cc) under subclause (II) 
                                        of section 1902(a)(10)(A)(i) of 
                                        that Act (42 U.S.C. 
                                        1396a(a)(10)(A)(i)).''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(iii) Without further application.--The 
                        term `without further application' has the 
                        meaning given the term in paragraph (4)(G).''; 
                        and
            (2) by striking subparagraphs (B) through (H) and inserting 
        the following:
                    ``(B) Agreement.--For the school year beginning on 
                July 1, 2022, and each school year thereafter, each 
                State shall enter into an agreement described in 
                subparagraph (C) with the 1 or more State agencies 
                conducting eligibility determinations for the Medicaid 
                program.
                    ``(C) Procedures.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Subject to subparagraph 
                        (D) and paragraph (6), an agreement entered 
                        into under subparagraph (B) shall establish 
                        procedures under which an eligible child shall 
                        be certified as eligible, without further 
                        application, for--
                                    ``(I) free or reduced price lunch 
                                under this Act; and
                                    ``(II) free or reduced price 
                                breakfast under section 4 of the Child 
                                Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773).
                            ``(ii) Free meals.--Each agreement entered 
                        into under subparagraph (B) shall ensure that a 
                        child who is simultaneously eligible for 
                        reduced price meals under this paragraph or 
                        based on an income eligibility determination, 
                        and for free meals based on documentation 
                        provided under subsection (d)(2), shall be 
                        certified for free meals.
                    ``(D) Certification.--Subject to paragraph (6), and 
                according to an agreement entered into under 
                subparagraph (B), the local educational agency 
                conducting eligibility determinations under that 
                agreement shall certify an eligible child as eligible, 
                without further application, for--
                            ``(i) free or reduced price lunch under 
                        this Act; and
                            ``(ii) free or reduced price breakfast 
                        under section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 
                        1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773).''.

SEC. 3. DIRECT CERTIFICATION FOR CHILDREN RECEIVING SOCIAL SECURITY 
              INCOME.

    (a) In General.--Section 9(b)(5) of the Richard B. Russell National 
School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(5)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``(2));'' and 
        inserting ``(2)));'';
            (2) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``or'' at the end;
            (3) in subparagraph (E)(ii), by striking the period at the 
        end and inserting ``; or''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(F) a child who receives supplemental security 
                income payments under title XVI of the Social Security 
                Act (42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.).''.
    (b) Data From Social Security Administration.--Section 9(b) of the 
Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(16) Data from social security administration.--In the 
        case of direct certification under paragraph (5) or (12)(A) of 
        a child who receives supplemental security income payments 
        under title XVI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1381 et 
        seq.), the Commissioner of Social Security shall provide a 
        local educational agency with the data necessary to certify the 
        child in accordance with a data-sharing agreement between the 
        Commissioner and the State in which the local educational 
        agency is located.''.
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