District Of Columbia 2023-2024 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill B25-0035 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
2	2	The John A. Wilson Building
3	3	1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
4	4	Washington, D.C. 20004
5	5
6	6
7	7
8	8	Statement of Introduction
9	9	Universal Free School Meals Amendment Act of 2023
10	10	January 13, 2023
11	11
12	12	Today, I am proud to introduce the Universal Free School Meals Amendment Act of 2023, along
13	13	with Councilmembers Charles Allen, Zachary Parker, Robert C. White, Jr., Brooke Pinto,
14	14	Brianne K. Nadeau, Vincent C. Gray, and Matthew Frumin. This legislation would provide free
15	15	universal school breakfast, lunch, and after-school snacks to students in public, charter, and
16	16	participating private schools in the District of Columbia.
17	17
18	18	For so many children in our city, schools serve as more than a place of learning; schools provide
19	19	essential resources to students and families to support their overall wellbeing. The research on
20	20	the benefits of having access to nutritional school meals is very clear. Students who receive free
21	21	school meals have shown improved academic achievement, experienced lower obesity rates,
22	22	consumed more fruits and vegetables, lowered risk of behavioral issues, and experienced reduced
23	23	nutrition deficiencies. We also know that lack of nutritious meals disproportionally affects Black
24	24	and Latinx children, with 21% of Black households and approximately 30% of Latinx
25	25	households with children, reporting food insufficiency.
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29	29	Prior to the pandemic 77% of the Districts’ children received free or reduced-price school
30	30	meals.
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32	32	Two benefits would accrue for this population. The first would be that some families
33	33	would no longer have to pay anything at all for receiving reduced-price lunches. The second
34	34	being that concerns around the stigma associated with receiving this benefit would no longer be
35	35	an issue. It is also important to highlight that this percentage does not cover all eligible families;
36	36	some not applying for free or reduced priced school meals due to a variety of factors such as a
37	37	language barrier or undocumented status. Additionally, federal guidelines for eligibility do not
38	38	account for regional variations in the cost of living, meaning that many families in the District
39	39	who would otherwise stand to benefit, cannot.
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41	41	Currently, three states – Colorado, California, and Maine – have similar legislation in place, with
42	42	several other states considering permanent legislation as well. The District should join this
43	43	broader movement to provide free universal school meals. The D.C. Food Policy Council
44	44	estimated that this legislation would have a relatively low-price tag of approximately $8 million
45	45	annually, as 86% of the cost for this bill would be covered by already existing federal and local
46	46	reimbursements.
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51	51	The road ahead: 2021 Update on Food Access & Food Security in the District of Columbia Building a more
52	52	equitable, healthy, and sustainable District food system. (2022, May 4). https://dcfoodpolicy.org/
53	53	2
54	54	https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/district-of-columbia
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56	56	https://dcfoodpolicy.org/2022/12/16/universal-free-school-meals-in-dc/
57	57	Christina Henderson Committee Member
58	58	Councilmember, At-Large Hospital and Health Equity
59	59	Chairperson, Committee on Health Judiciary and Public Safety
60	60	Transportation and the Environment
61	61	COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
62	62	The John A. Wilson Building
63	63	1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
64	64	Washington, D.C. 20004
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68	68	I have been committed to reducing hunger and providing District residents with access to
69	69	nutritious food during my time on the Council. My bill, Give SNAP A Raise, that passed in the
70	70	last council period, will increase food security in the District, and subsequently improve health
71	71	outcomes for both families and children. This legislation would further that work, ensuring that
72	72	children are not hamstrung in any way due to hunger while in school.
73	73
74	74	I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Council to pass this legislation and provide
75	75	access to universal school meals across the District for all children.
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80	80	Councilmember Zachary Parker Councilmember Christina Henderson 2
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84	84	Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. Councilmember Charles Allen 6
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88	88	Councilmember Vincent C. Gray Councilmember Matthew Frumin 10
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90	90	12
91	91	13
92	92	Councilmember Brooke Pinto Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau 14
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96	96	AN ACT 18
97	97	19
98	98	______________ 20
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100	100	IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 22
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102	102	________________ 24
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104	104	To provide universal free school meals and after school snacks to public school, public charter 26
105	105	school, and participating private school students in the District of Columbia. 27
106	106	28
107	107	BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 29
108	108	act may be cited as the “Universal Free School Meals Act of 2023”. 30
109	109	Sec 2. The Healthy Schools Act of 2010, effective July 27, 2010 (D.C. Law 18-31
110	110	20; D.C. Official Code § 38-822.01 et seq.), is amended by adding a new section 203b to read as 32
111	111	follows: 33
112	112	“Sec. 203b. Universal free school meals. 34
113	113	“(a) Beginning in School Year 2023-2024, and for every school year thereafter, public 35
114	114	schools, public charter schools, and private schools that participate in the National School Lunch 36 2
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116	116	Program shall offer free breakfast, lunch, and after school snacks to all students, without 37
117	117	consideration of the student’s eligibility for a federally funded free or reduced-price meal. 38
118	118	“(b) The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (“OSSE”) shall reimburse 39
119	119	public schools, public charter schools, and participating private schools for meals provided to 40
120	120	students who are ineligible for a federally funded free or reduced-price meal. 41
121	121	“(c) OSSE shall ensure that all schools continue to receive federal reimbursements for 42
122	122	school meals for which they qualify, including the Community Eligibility Provision, the National 43
123	123	School Lunch Program, the National School Breakfast Program, and any available local 44
124	124	funding. 45
125	125	“(d) Reimbursements provided by OSSE shall not exceed the difference between the sum 46
126	126	of the amounts calculated for meals claimed based on the federal reimbursement rates for free 47
127	127	and reduced-price school meal and the full price of the meal provided to each student ineligible 48
128	128	for free and reduced-price meals. 49
129	129	“(e) OSSE shall provide training to school staff and administrators on how to implement 50
130	130	universal free school meals. 51
131	131	“(f) OSSE may issue rules to implement this section.”. 52
132	132	Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 53
133	133	The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 54
134	134	impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 55
135	135	approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 56
136	136	Sec. 4. Effective date. 57
137	137	This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 58
138	138	Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as 59 3
139	139
140	140	provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 60
141	141	24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 61
142	142	Columbia Register. 62