Requires all public school districts, charter schools and non-public schools in the state that participate in the national school lunch program or school breakfast program as provided in the national child nutrition act to serve breakfast and lunch at no cost to the student.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9518
IN ASSEMBLY
March 16, 2022
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GONZALEZ-ROJAS -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to providing universal
school meals to students
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 915-a
2 to read as follows:
3 § 915-a. Universal school meals. 1. The department shall require all
4 public school districts, charter schools and non-public schools in the
5 state that participate in the national school lunch program or school
6 breakfast program as provided in the national child nutrition act, as
7 amended, to serve breakfast and lunch at no cost to the student. Public
8 school districts, charter schools and non-public schools shall maximize
9 access to federal funds for the cost of school breakfast and lunch
10 programs by adopting Provision 2 of the federal Community Eligibility
11 Provisions or any other provision under such act, the National School
12 Lunch Act or the National Child Nutrition Act as deemed eligible by the
13 department.
14 2. To the extent that the cost of making available school lunches and
15 breakfasts pursuant to subdivision one of this section are not reimburs-
16 able through federal funds, the department shall reimburse all such
17 costs. The department shall reimburse the difference between the amount
18 paid by the United States Department of Agriculture and the free rate as
19 set annually by the United States Secretary of Agriculture under 42
20 U.S.C. 1759a for each school.
21 3. The department in consultation with the office of temporary and
22 disability assistance shall promulgate any rule or regulation needed for
23 public school districts, charter schools and non-public schools to
24 promote the supplemental nutrition assistance program to a student or
25 person in parental relation to a student by either providing application
26 assistance or a direct referral to an outreach partner identified by the
27 department to the office of temporary and disability assistance to
28 increase the number of students directly certified for free or reduced
29 price school meals.
30 § 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14994-01-2
