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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 Section 10-215 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1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