Connecticut 2023 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB00929 Compare Versions

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Version 2 (New)

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7	5		General Assembly Raised Bill No. 929
8	6		January Session, 2023
9	7		LCO No. 3267
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12	10		Referred to Committee on COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN
13	11
14	12
15	13		Introduced by:
16	14		(KID)
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	18	+
20	19		AN ACT EXPANDING SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE
21	20		FREE SCHOOL MEALS TO ALL STUDENTS.
22	21		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
23	22		Assembly convened:
24	23
25	24		Section 1. Section 10-215 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
26	25		following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 2
27	26		(a) [Any] Each local [or] and regional board of education [may] shall 3
28		-	establish and operate a school lunch program for public school 4
29		-	children, may operate lunch services for its employees, may establish 5
30		-	and operate a school breakfast program, as provided under federal 6
31		-	laws governing said programs, or may establish and operate such 7
32		-	other child feeding programs as it deems necessary. [Charges] No 8
33		-	board may charge for such school lunches, school breakfasts or other 9
34		-	such child feeding. [may be fixed by such boards and shall not exceed 10
35		-	the cost of food, wages and other expenses directly incurred in 11
36		-	providing such services.] When such [services] programs are offered, a 12
37		-	board shall provide free school lunches, school breakfasts or other such 13
38		-	child feeding to [children whose economic needs require such action 14
39		-	under the standards promulgated by said federal laws] all students. 15
40		-	Such board is authorized to purchase equipment and supplies that are 16 Bill No. 929
	27	+	establish and operate a school lunch program for public school children, 4
	28	+	may operate lunch services for its employees, may establish and operate 5
	29	+	a school breakfast program, as provided under federal laws governing 6
	30	+	said programs, or may establish and operate such other child feeding 7
	31	+	programs as it deems necessary. [Charges] No board may charge for 8
	32	+	such school lunches, school breakfasts or other such child feeding. [may 9
	33	+	be fixed by such boards and shall not exceed the cost of food, wages and 10
	34	+	other expenses directly incurred in providing such services.] When such 11
	35	+	[services] programs are offered, a board shall provide free school 12
	36	+	lunches, school breakfasts or other such child feeding to [children whose 13
	37	+	economic needs require such action under the standards promulgated 14
	38	+	by said federal laws] all students. Such board is authorized to purchase 15 Raised Bill No. 929
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47		-	necessary, to employ the necessary personnel, to utilize the services of 17
48		-	volunteers and to receive and expend any funds and receive and use 18
49		-	any equipment and supplies which may become available to carry out 19
50		-	the provisions of this section. Any town board of education may vote 20
51		-	to designate any volunteer organization within the town to provide a 21
52		-	school lunch program, school breakfast program or other child feeding 22
53		-	program in accordance with the provisions of this section. 23
	42	+	LCO No. 3267 2 of 5
	43	+
	44	+	equipment and supplies that are necessary, to employ the necessary 16
	45	+	personnel, to utilize the services of volunteers and to receive and expend 17
	46	+	any funds and receive and use any equipment and supplies which may 18
	47	+	become available to carry out the provisions of this section. Any town 19
	48	+	board of education may vote to designate any volunteer organization 20
	49	+	within the town to provide a school lunch program, school breakfast 21
	50	+	program or other child feeding program in accordance with the 22
	51	+	provisions of this section. 23
54	52		[(b) For the school year commencing July 1, 2021, and each school 24
55	53		year thereafter, a local or regional board of education shall include in 25
56	54		any policy or procedure for the collection of unpaid charges for school 26
57	55		lunches, breakfasts or other such feeding applicable to employees and 27
58	56		third-party vendors of such school lunches, breakfasts or such feeding 28
59		-	(1) a prohibition on publicly identifying or shaming a child for any 29
60		-	such unpaid charges, including, but not limited to, delaying or 30
61		-	refusing to serve a meal to such child, designating a specific meal 31
62		-	option for such child or otherwise taking any disciplinary action 32
63		-	against such child, (2) a declaration of the right for any child to 33
64		-	purchase a meal, which meal may exclude any a la carte items or be 34
65		-	limited to one meal for any school lunch, breakfast or other such 35
66		-	feeding, and (3) a procedure for communicating with the parent or 36
67		-	legal guardian of a child for the purpose of collecting such unpaid 37
68		-	charges. Such communication shall include, but not be limited to, (A) 38
69		-	information regarding local food pantries, (B) applications for the 39
70		-	school district's program for free or reduced priced meals and for the 40
71		-	supplemental nutrition assistance program administered by the 41
72		-	Department of Social Services, and (C) a link to the Internet web site 42
73		-	maintained by the town for such school district listing any community 43
74		-	services available to the residents of such town. In the event the 44
75		-	unpaid charges for school lunches, breakfasts or other such feeding 45
76		-	due from any parent or legal guardian are equal to or more than the 46
77		-	cost of thirty meals, the local or regional board of education shall refer 47
78		-	such parent or legal guardian to the local homeless education liaison 48
79		-	designated by such board, pursuant to Subtitle B of Title VII of the 49
80		-	McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, 42 USC 11431 et seq., as 50 Bill No. 929
	57	+	(1) a prohibition on publicly identifying or shaming a child for any such 29
	58	+	unpaid charges, including, but not limited to, delaying or refusing to 30
	59	+	serve a meal to such child, designating a specific meal option for such 31
	60	+	child or otherwise taking any disciplinary action against such child, (2) 32
	61	+	a declaration of the right for any child to purchase a meal, which meal 33
	62	+	may exclude any a la carte items or be limited to one meal for any school 34
	63	+	lunch, breakfast or other such feeding, and (3) a procedure for 35
	64	+	communicating with the parent or legal guardian of a child for the 36
	65	+	purpose of collecting such unpaid charges. Such communication shall 37
	66	+	include, but not be limited to, (A) information regarding local food 38
	67	+	pantries, (B) applications for the school district's program for free or 39
	68	+	reduced priced meals and for the supplemental nutrition assistance 40
	69	+	program administered by the Department of Social Services, and (C) a 41
	70	+	link to the Internet web site maintained by the town for such school 42
	71	+	district listing any community services available to the residents of such 43
	72	+	town. In the event the unpaid charges for school lunches, breakfasts or 44
	73	+	other such feeding due from any parent or legal guardian are equal to 45
	74	+	or more than the cost of thirty meals, the local or regional board of 46
	75	+	education shall refer such parent or legal guardian to the local homeless 47
	76	+	education liaison designated by such board, pursuant to Subtitle B of 48
	77	+	Title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, 42 USC 11431 49 Raised Bill No. 929
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87		-	amended from time to time.] 51
88		-	[(c)] (b) A local or regional board of education may accept gifts, 52
89		-	donations or grants from any public or private sources for the purpose 53
90		-	of [paying off any unpaid charges for] providing such school lunches, 54
91		-	school breakfasts or other such child feeding. 55
92		-	Sec. 2. Section 10-215b of the general statutes is repealed and the 56
93		-	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 57
94		-	(a) The State Board of Education [is authorized to expend in each 58
95		-	fiscal year, within available appropriations,] shall annually provide 59
96		-	grants to local and regional boards of education, the Technical 60
97		-	Education and Career System and the governing authority of a state 61
98		-	charter school, interdistrict magnet school or endowed academy 62
99		-	approved pursuant to section 10-34 that participates in the National 63
100		-	School Lunch Program and operates a school lunch program, school 64
101		-	breakfast program or other child feeding program pursuant to section 65
102		-	10-215, as amended by this act, provided the state board expends in 66
103		-	each fiscal year an amount equal to (1) the money required pursuant to 67
104		-	the matching requirements of said federal laws and shall disburse the 68
105		-	same in accordance with said laws, and (2) at least ten cents per lunch 69
106		-	served in the prior school year in accordance with said laws. [by any 70
107		-	local or regional board of education, the Technical Education and 71
108		-	Career System or governing authority of a state charter school, 72
109		-	interdistrict magnet school or endowed academy approved pursuant 73
110		-	to section 10-34 that participates in the National School Lunch Program 74
111		-	and certifies] Each such board, system and governing authority shall 75
112		-	certify, pursuant to section 10-215f, that the nutrition standards 76
113		-	established by the Department of Education, pursuant to section 10-77
114		-	215e, [shall be] have been met. 78
115		-	(b) The State Board of Education shall prescribe the manner and 79
116		-	time of application by such board of education, the Technical 80
117		-	Education and Career System, such governing authority or controlling 81
118		-	authority of the nonpublic schools for such funds, provided such 82 Bill No. 929
	81	+	LCO No. 3267 3 of 5
	82	+
	83	+	et seq., as amended from time to time.] 50
	84	+	[(c)] (b) A local or regional board of education may accept gifts, 51
	85	+	donations or grants from any public or private sources for the purpose 52
	86	+	of [paying off any unpaid charges for] providing such school lunches, 53
	87	+	school breakfasts or other such child feeding. 54
	88	+	Sec. 2. Section 10-215b of the general statutes is repealed and the 55
	89	+	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 56
	90	+	(a) The State Board of Education [is authorized to expend in each 57
	91	+	fiscal year, within available appropriations,] shall annually provide 58
	92	+	grants to local and regional boards of education, the Technical 59
	93	+	Education and Career System and the governing authority of a state 60
	94	+	charter school, interdistrict magnet school or endowed academy 61
	95	+	approved pursuant to section 10-34 that participates in the National 62
	96	+	School Lunch Program and operates a school lunch program, school 63
	97	+	breakfast program or other child feeding program pursuant to section 64
	98	+	10-215, as amended by this act, provided the state board expends in each 65
	99	+	fiscal year an amount equal to (1) the money required pursuant to the 66
	100	+	matching requirements of said federal laws and shall disburse the same 67
	101	+	in accordance with said laws, and (2) at least ten cents per lunch served 68
	102	+	in the prior school year in accordance with said laws. [by any local or 69
	103	+	regional board of education, the Technical Education and Career System 70
	104	+	or governing authority of a state charter school, interdistrict magnet 71
	105	+	school or endowed academy approved pursuant to section 10-34 that 72
	106	+	participates in the National School Lunch Program and certifies] Each 73
	107	+	such board, system and governing authority shall certify, pursuant to 74
	108	+	section 10-215f, that the nutrition standards established by the 75
	109	+	Department of Education, pursuant to section 10-215e, [shall be] have 76
	110	+	been met. 77
	111	+	(b) The State Board of Education shall prescribe the manner and time 78
	112	+	of application by such board of education, the Technical Education and 79
	113	+	Career System, such governing authority or controlling authority of the 80
	114	+	nonpublic schools for such funds, provided such application shall 81 Raised Bill No. 929
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125		-	application shall include the certification that any funds received 83
126		-	pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be used for the program 84
127		-	approved. The State Board of Education shall determine the eligibility 85
128		-	of the applicant to receive such grants pursuant to regulations 86
129		-	provided in subsection (c) of this section and shall certify to the 87
130		-	Comptroller the amount of the grant for which the board of education, 88
131		-	the Technical Education and Career System, the governing authority or 89
132		-	the controlling authority of a nonpublic school is eligible. Upon receipt 90
133		-	of such certification, the Comptroller shall draw an order on the 91
134		-	Treasurer in the amount, at the time and to the payee so certified. 92
135		-	(c) The State Board of Education may adopt such regulations as may 93
136		-	be necessary in implementing sections 10-215 to 10-215b, inclusive, as 94
137		-	amended by this act. 95
138		-	(d) The Commissioner of Education shall establish a procedure for 96
139		-	monitoring compliance by boards of education, the Technical 97
140		-	Education and Career System, or governing authorities with 98
141		-	certifications submitted in accordance with section 10-215f and may 99
142		-	adjust grant amounts pursuant to [subdivision (2) of] subsection (a) of 100
143		-	this section based on failure to comply with [said] such certification. 101
144		-	(e) The Commissioner of Education may temporarily waive any 102
145		-	provision or modify any requirements of this section or section 10-215, 103
146		-	as amended by this act, 10-215a, 10-215e or 10-215f, in response to any 104
147		-	changes in federal law or waivers issued by the United States 105
148		-	Department of Agriculture, to ensure that local and regional boards of 106
149		-	education continue to receive the funds described in this section. 107
	118	+	LCO No. 3267 4 of 5
	119	+
	120	+	include the certification that any funds received pursuant to subsection 82
	121	+	(a) of this section shall be used for the program approved. The State 83
	122	+	Board of Education shall determine the eligibility of the applicant to 84
	123	+	receive such grants pursuant to regulations provided in subsection (c) 85
	124	+	of this section and shall certify to the Comptroller the amount of the 86
	125	+	grant for which the board of education, the Technical Education and 87
	126	+	Career System, the governing authority or the controlling authority of a 88
	127	+	nonpublic school is eligible. Upon receipt of such certification, the 89
	128	+	Comptroller shall draw an order on the Treasurer in the amount, at the 90
	129	+	time and to the payee so certified. 91
	130	+	(c) The State Board of Education may adopt such regulations as may 92
	131	+	be necessary in implementing sections 10-215 to 10-215b, inclusive, as 93
	132	+	amended by this act. 94
	133	+	(d) The Commissioner of Education shall establish a procedure for 95
	134	+	monitoring compliance by boards of education, the Technical Education 96
	135	+	and Career System, or governing authorities with certifications 97
	136	+	submitted in accordance with section 10-215f and may adjust grant 98
	137	+	amounts pursuant to [subdivision (2) of] subsection (a) of this section 99
	138	+	based on failure to comply with [said] such certification. 100
	139	+	(e) The Commissioner of Education may temporarily waive any 101
	140	+	provision or modify any requirements of this section or section 10-215, 102
	141	+	as amended by this act, 10-215a, 10-215e or 10-215f, in response to any 103
	142	+	changes in federal law or waivers issued by the United States 104
	143	+	Department of Agriculture, to ensure that local and regional boards of 105
	144	+	education continue to receive the funds described in this section. 106
150	145		This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
151	146		sections:
152	147
153	148		Section 1 July 1, 2023 10-215
154	149		Sec. 2 July 1, 2023 10-215b
155	150
156		-	KID Joint Favorable
	151	+	Statement of Purpose:
	152	+	To provide free school meals to all students. Raised Bill No. 929
	153	+
	154	+
	155	+
	156	+	LCO No. 3267 5 of 5
	157	+
	158	+	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
	159	+	that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
	160	+	underlined.]
157	161