Grants small city school districts the authority to provide cafeteria services to students should such district be subject to a contingency budget

BILL NUMBER:A7070B

Title of bill

An act to amend the education law, in relation to grant- ing small city school districts the authority to provide cafeteria services to students should such district be subject to a contingency budget

Purpose or general idea of bill

This legislation would allow small city school districts the ability to continue to provide cafeteria or restau- rant services, to pupils and school staff, as part of ordinary contin- gent expenses, should the voters fail to adopt the school board's proposed budget.

Summary of specific provisions

This legislation would allow small city school districts the ability to include expenses for cafeteria services or restaurant services to students and staff as ordinary contingency expenses for which the sole trustee, board of trustees or board of education may levy a tax.

Justification

Providing meals for students, especially students who rely on school lunches to meet a substantial portion of their daily nutritional needs, is an important expense for school districts and one that meets the requirements for contingent expenses. Chapter 682 of 2002 made cafeteria services a contingent expense for all fiscally independ- ent school districts in New York except for small city school districts. An adequate and nutritionally balanced diet is just as important for students attending small city school districts as it is for students attending other school districts. Without this legislation, small city school districts will be prohibited from supporting lunch programs if voters place the district on a contingency budget.

Prior legislative history

2006 - S6437 - Referred to Education 2008 - S2268 - Referred to Education

Fiscal implications

None to the state.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.