H.B. No. 3562
AN ACT
relating to the adoption of a policy allowing a grace period after
the exhaustion of the balance of a meal card or account used by
students to purchase meals in public schools.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 33, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 33.908 to read as follows:
Sec. 33.908. GRACE PERIOD POLICY FOR EXHAUSTED OR
INSUFFICIENT MEAL CARD OR ACCOUNT BALANCE. A school district that
allows students to use a prepaid meal card or account to purchase
meals served at the school shall adopt a grace period policy
regarding the use of the cards or accounts. The policy:
(1) must allow a student whose meal card or account
balance is exhausted or insufficient to continue, for a period
determined by the district, to purchase meals by:
(A) accumulating a negative balance on the
student's card or account; or
(B) otherwise receiving an extension of credit
from the district;
(2) must require the district to notify the parent of
or person standing in parental relation to the student that the
student's meal card or account balance is exhausted;
(3) may not permit the district to charge a fee or
interest in connection with meals purchased under Subdivision (1);
and
(4) may permit the district to set a schedule for
repayment on the account balance as part of the notice to the parent
or person standing in parental relation to the student.
SECTION 2. T
his Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016
school year.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 3562 was passed by the House on April
30, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 136, Nays 3, 1 present, not
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
No. 3562 on May 27, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 137, Nays 2,
3 present, not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 3562 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 25, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 21, Nays
10.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor