(a) Each public or private postsecondary educational institution that is located in a county that participates in the Restaurant Meals Program established pursuant to Section 2020 of Title 7 of the United States Code shall do all of the following:

(1) Apply to become an approved food vendor for the Restaurant Meals Program if the institution operates a qualifying food facility on campus.

(2) Annually provide all on-campus food vendors not operated by the institution with information regarding the Restaurant Meals Program and the manner in which to apply.

(3) If an on-campus food vendor or a qualifying food facility has been approved to participate in the Restaurant Meals Program, annually inform students about the program using information provided by the State Department of Social Services.

(b) This section does not require an institution to create, operate, or maintain an EBT system on behalf of on-campus food vendors.

(c) An approved on-campus food vendor or a qualifying food facility participating in the Restaurant Meals Program pursuant to this section, and a county in which the program is operated, shall meet the requirements of the Restaurant Meals Program. A qualifying food facility that participates in the Restaurant Meals Program pursuant to Section 18919 of the Welfare and Institutions Code shall meet all of the requirements for participation in that program.

(d) For purposes of this section:

(1) “On-campus food vendors” does not include any vendor that does not sell prepared food for onsite consumption or that sells food from a mobile food facility, as defined in Section 113831 of the Health and Safety Code.

(2) “Qualifying food facility” is a facility administered by a postsecondary educational institution that sells prepared food for onsite consumption.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 746, Sec. 1. (AB 1894) Effective January 1, 2019.)