Providing for Child and Adult Care Food Program Supplement.
HB915 would amend Pennsylvania’s Public School Code to create a new Article XV-O establishing the Child and Adult Care Food Program Supplement. The supplement would provide additional state financial reimbursements to facilities already participating in the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program, which serves meals and snacks to eligible children and adults in care settings. The Department of Education would administer the supplement, develop regulations, coordinate with other state agencies as needed, and request applications from participating facilities in both electronic and paper form.
The bill sets out eligibility and award criteria for facilities seeking the supplement. In the initial funding round, and in later years for facilities that did not previously receive the supplement, applicants must show that the funding will help them serve food to more enrollees and, depending on the type of facility, either improve fiscal stability and educational opportunities or further care and educational opportunities for enrollees. For facilities that have already received the supplement, continued funding would require a similar showing that the reimbursement continues to expand food service and support program goals. The department must prioritize funding to maximize the number of enrollees who are fully nourished while in care, and the General Assembly would need to appropriate General Fund money for the program.
HB915 would affect state law by adding a new state-level reimbursement program on top of the existing federal child and adult care food framework. It would create new administrative duties for the Department of Education, require annual reporting to the Governor and several legislative committees, and establish a recurring appropriations obligation if the program is funded. The report would track participating facilities, meal counts, meal types, and projected future funding needs.
Because there are no recorded votes or committee transcripts provided, the overall sentiment cannot be measured from debate or floor action. Based on the bill’s sponsors and structure, the measure appears to be framed as a nutrition-support and child/adult care assistance initiative, suggesting generally favorable policy intent. No specific opposition or amendments are documented in the materials provided.
The main point of potential contention is funding: the bill depends on annual General Fund appropriations, so lawmakers may debate cost, budget priority, and whether the state should create a supplemental reimbursement program beyond the federal program. Another possible issue is administration and oversight, including how the Department of Education will rank applicants, verify that funds increase access to nutritious meals, and distinguish between nonprofit, emergency shelter, and for-profit facilities.
HB915 would amend the Public School Code of 1949 by adding a new article that authorizes a state-funded supplement to the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program. It would expand the Department of Education’s responsibilities, require rulemaking and annual reporting, and make the program contingent on legislative appropriations from the General Fund. The bill would directly affect participating child care centers, adult care facilities, nonprofits, emergency shelters, and for-profit providers that serve eligible enrollees under the federal program.
No committee transcript or vote record is available, so there is no documented floor or committee sentiment to summarize. The bill’s sponsors and subject matter indicate a positive policy orientation toward nutrition support for children and adults in care settings, and the text is structured to maximize access to meals and snacks. Any opposition is not reflected in the provided materials.
The most likely area of contention is fiscal: the supplement would require annual state funding, and lawmakers may disagree over the size, sustainability, and priority of the appropriation. A second area is program design and oversight, including how the Department of Education will determine which facilities receive funding, how it will measure whether the supplement increases access to nutritious meals, and whether the criteria treat nonprofit, emergency shelter, and for-profit facilities appropriately. No specific named opponents or disputed amendments are provided.