By: Lucio S.B. No. 1696
(In the Senate - Filed March 9, 2017; March 22, 2017, read
first time and referred to Committee on Education; May 3, 2017,
reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the
following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 3, 1 present not voting; May 3, 2017,
sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1696 By: Lucio
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a periodic study on participation of public schools in a
universal lunch program offered through the United States
Department of Agriculture.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 33, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 33.9011 to read as follows:
Sec. 33.9011. STUDY ON PROVIDING UNIVERSAL LUNCH. (a) Not
later than March 1 of each odd-numbered year, the agency, with
assistance from the Department of Agriculture, shall conduct a
study to determine the school districts and open-enrollment charter
schools eligible to provide a universal lunch to all students
through participation in the Community Eligibility Provision
administered by the United States Department of Agriculture, as
provided by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (Pub. L. No.
111-296).
(b) Not later than May 1 of each odd-numbered year, the
agency shall:
(1) notify each school district and open-enrollment
charter school that is eligible to participate in the Community
Eligibility Provision; and
(2) require each district and school notified under
Subdivision (1) that does not participate in the Community
Eligibility Provision at a majority of their eligible campuses to:
(A) perform an economic analysis of cost savings
that would result from participation in the program; and
(B) report the results of the analysis to the
agency not later than November 15 of each odd-numbered year.
(c) If the economic analysis performed by a school district
or open-enrollment charter school under Subsection (b) indicates
cost savings would result from participation in the Community
Eligibility Provision, the district or school must consider
participating in the program.
(d) If a school district or open-enrollment charter school
that would receive cost savings from participation in the Community
Eligibility Provision does not implement the program, the district
or school shall notify the agency that the district or school did
not implement the program and provide details stating the reason
the district or school did not implement the program.
(e) Not later than January 31 of each even-numbered year,
the agency shall submit to the governor, lieutenant governor,
speaker of the house of representatives, and members of the
legislature a report that includes a list that identifies the
school districts and open-enrollment charter schools eligible to
provide a universal lunch to all students through participation in
the Community Eligibility Provision and the potential cost savings
to each district and school that could result from that
participation.
SECTION 2. 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, 2017.
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