Connecticut 2023 2023 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB00929 Comm Sub / Bill

Filed 03/13/2023

                     
 
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General Assembly  Raised Bill No. 929  
January Session, 2023  
LCO No. 3267 
 
 
Referred to Committee on COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN 
 
 
Introduced by:  
(KID)  
 
 
 
AN ACT EXPANDING SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE 
FREE SCHOOL MEALS TO ALL STUDENTS.  
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section 1. Section 10-215 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 2 
(a) [Any] Each local [or] and regional board of education [may] shall 3 
establish and operate a school lunch program for public school 4 
children, may operate lunch services for its employees, may establish 5 
and operate a school breakfast program, as provided under federal 6 
laws governing said programs, or may establish and operate such 7 
other child feeding programs as it deems necessary. [Charges] No 8 
board may charge for such school lunches, school breakfasts or other 9 
such child feeding. [may be fixed by such boards and shall not exceed 10 
the cost of food, wages and other expenses directly incurred in 11 
providing such services.] When such [services] programs are offered, a 12 
board shall provide free school lunches, school breakfasts or other such 13 
child feeding to [children whose economic needs require such action 14 
under the standards promulgated by said federal laws] all students. 15 
Such board is authorized to purchase equipment and supplies that are 16  Bill No. 929 
 
 
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necessary, to employ the necessary personnel, to utilize the services of 17 
volunteers and to receive and expend any funds and receive and use 18 
any equipment and supplies which may become available to carry out 19 
the provisions of this section. Any town board of education may vote 20 
to designate any volunteer organization within the town to provide a 21 
school lunch program, school breakfast program or other child feeding 22 
program in accordance with the provisions of this section. 23 
[(b) For the school year commencing July 1, 2021, and each school 24 
year thereafter, a local or regional board of education shall include in 25 
any policy or procedure for the collection of unpaid charges for school 26 
lunches, breakfasts or other such feeding applicable to employees and 27 
third-party vendors of such school lunches, breakfasts or such feeding 28 
(1) a prohibition on publicly identifying or shaming a child for any 29 
such unpaid charges, including, but not limited to, delaying or 30 
refusing to serve a meal to such child, designating a specific meal 31 
option for such child or otherwise taking any disciplinary action 32 
against such child, (2) a declaration of the right for any child to 33 
purchase a meal, which meal may exclude any a la carte items or be 34 
limited to one meal for any school lunch, breakfast or other such 35 
feeding, and (3) a procedure for communicating with the parent or 36 
legal guardian of a child for the purpose of collecting such unpaid 37 
charges. Such communication shall include, but not be limited to, (A) 38 
information regarding local food pantries, (B) applications for the 39 
school district's program for free or reduced priced meals and for the 40 
supplemental nutrition assistance program administered by the 41 
Department of Social Services, and (C) a link to the Internet web site 42 
maintained by the town for such school district listing any community 43 
services available to the residents of such town. In the event the 44 
unpaid charges for school lunches, breakfasts or other such feeding 45 
due from any parent or legal guardian are equal to or more than the 46 
cost of thirty meals, the local or regional board of education shall refer 47 
such parent or legal guardian to the local homeless education liaison 48 
designated by such board, pursuant to Subtitle B of Title VII of the 49 
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, 42 USC 11431 et seq., as 50  Bill No. 929 
 
 
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amended from time to time.] 51 
[(c)] (b) A local or regional board of education may accept gifts, 52 
donations or grants from any public or private sources for the purpose 53 
of [paying off any unpaid charges for] providing such school lunches, 54 
school breakfasts or other such child feeding. 55 
Sec. 2. Section 10-215b of the general statutes is repealed and the 56 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 57 
(a) The State Board of Education [is authorized to expend in each 58 
fiscal year, within available appropriations,] shall annually provide 59 
grants to local and regional boards of education, the Technical 60 
Education and Career System and the governing authority of a state 61 
charter school, interdistrict magnet school or endowed academy 62 
approved pursuant to section 10-34 that participates in the National 63 
School Lunch Program and operates a school lunch program, school 64 
breakfast program or other child feeding program pursuant to section 65 
10-215, as amended by this act, provided the state board expends in 66 
each fiscal year an amount equal to (1) the money required pursuant to 67 
the matching requirements of said federal laws and shall disburse the 68 
same in accordance with said laws, and (2) at least ten cents per lunch 69 
served in the prior school year in accordance with said laws. [by any 70 
local or regional board of education, the Technical Education and 71 
Career System or governing authority of a state charter school, 72 
interdistrict magnet school or endowed academy approved pursuant 73 
to section 10-34 that participates in the National School Lunch Program 74 
and certifies] Each such board, system and governing authority shall 75 
certify, pursuant to section 10-215f, that the nutrition standards 76 
established by the Department of Education, pursuant to section 10-77 
215e, [shall be] have been met. 78 
(b) The State Board of Education shall prescribe the manner and 79 
time of application by such board of education, the Technical 80 
Education and Career System, such governing authority or controlling 81 
authority of the nonpublic schools for such funds, provided such 82  Bill No. 929 
 
 
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application shall include the certification that any funds received 83 
pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be used for the program 84 
approved. The State Board of Education shall determine the eligibility 85 
of the applicant to receive such grants pursuant to regulations 86 
provided in subsection (c) of this section and shall certify to the 87 
Comptroller the amount of the grant for which the board of education, 88 
the Technical Education and Career System, the governing authority or 89 
the controlling authority of a nonpublic school is eligible. Upon receipt 90 
of such certification, the Comptroller shall draw an order on the 91 
Treasurer in the amount, at the time and to the payee so certified. 92 
(c) The State Board of Education may adopt such regulations as may 93 
be necessary in implementing sections 10-215 to 10-215b, inclusive, as 94 
amended by this act. 95 
(d) The Commissioner of Education shall establish a procedure for 96 
monitoring compliance by boards of education, the Technical 97 
Education and Career System, or governing authorities with 98 
certifications submitted in accordance with section 10-215f and may 99 
adjust grant amounts pursuant to [subdivision (2) of] subsection (a) of 100 
this section based on failure to comply with [said] such certification. 101 
(e) The Commissioner of Education may temporarily waive any 102 
provision or modify any requirements of this section or section 10-215, 103 
as amended by this act, 10-215a, 10-215e or 10-215f, in response to any 104 
changes in federal law or waivers issued by the United States 105 
Department of Agriculture, to ensure that local and regional boards of 106 
education continue to receive the funds described in this section. 107 
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following 
sections: 
 
Section 1 July 1, 2023 10-215 
Sec. 2 July 1, 2023 10-215b 
 
KID Joint Favorable