By: Zaffirini, Lucio S.B. No. 1866
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to an award program to recognize school nutrition program
excellence.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 12, Agriculture Code, is amended by
adding Section 12.00251 to read as follows:
Sec. 12.00251. HUNGER FREE SCHOOLS AWARD PROGRAM.
(a) Subject to the availability of funds, the department by
rule shall establish an award program under which schools may
receive recognition from the department for excellence in providing
federally funded meals to students during the school year and
during the summer. The department shall create a logo for the award
program and publish an application form for the award program on the
department's Internet website.
(b) The department by rule shall establish eligibility
criteria for schools to quality for consideration of an award under
this section. The criteria must include consideration of:
(1) whether the school participates in:
(A) the national school breakfast program
provided by the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. Section
1773);
(B) the national school lunch program of free or
reduced-price lunches;
(C) the Child and Adult Care Food Program; and
(D) the summer food service program under 42
U.S.C. Section 1761;
(2) for each federal meal program offered by the
school, the average daily participation rates of students in the
school who are educationally disadvantaged, as defined by Section
5.001, Education Code;
(3) whether the school uses alternative or innovative
school food service models for school meal programs;
(4) whether the school makes a school meal program
available to all students at no charge through use of the federal
Community Eligibility Provision, Provision 2 option under 7 C.F.R.
Section 245, or another mechanism; and
(5) any other criteria the department determines is
appropriate.
(c) Between November 1 and December 31 of each year, the
department shall issue 25 awards under this section. Each award
shall be based on the school's performance on the eligibility
criteria established under Subsection (b) during the preceding
year.
(d) The commissioner shall appoint a selection committee
composed of no fewer than five representatives of relevant
stakeholder groups to review all eligible applicants and select
schools to receive awards of no more than $2,000 under this section.
(e) Any awards made by the department for the award program
established under this section shall be deposited into the food
service accounts of the schools selected to receive an award under
this section. A school may use money received under this section
only to invest in the school's nutrition programs, purchase new
food-service equipment, or reward the school's nutrition staff.
(f) A school that has an excessive unassigned general fund
balance or that is not in compliance with state or federal
regulations is not eligible to receive an award under this section.
(g) The department may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and
donations from any public or private source to implement this
subchapter.
(h) The department may adopt rules as necessary to
administer this section.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2016.