What's happening
This bill requires New York schools to adopt clear, consistent school meal charge policies that prevent negative impacts on students with unpaid meal charges.
Why it matters
Requires schools to communicate meal charge policies clearly to both parents and staff. , ensuring everyone knows the rules and available options when a student cannot pay for a meal.
Mandates that schools cannot single out or stigmatize students with unpaid meal charges. , including prohibiting "alternate meals" (e.g., giving a less desirable meal to students who owe money), reducing embarrassment and shame for affected children.
Obligates schools to minimize identifying students who can't pay. , which helps protect student privacy and dignity, and reduces potential bullying or discrimination.
Ensures parents and students receive meal charge policy information at the start of each school year and upon transferring. , and that policies are posted online for transparency, making it easier for families to understand their options and responsibilities.
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Who cares
Headline styles
End Lunch Debt Shaming
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 8
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1762
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 16, 2019
Introduced by Sen. BROOKS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to school meal charge policies
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 57 to read as follows:
57. The commissioner is authorized and directed to promulgate rules and regulations requiring all elementary and secondary schools and boards of cooperative educational services to establish school meal charge policies in order to ensure a consistent and transparent approach is applied in instances of unpaid meal charges and the collection of delinquent debt. Such policies shall include, but not be limited to, information for parents or persons in parental relation and relevant school staff on available meal options for students who have insufficient funds to purchase a meal at time of service, how delinquent meal charge debt is collected, and available payment options. When developing meal charge policies, schools and boards of cooperative educational services shall ensure that such policies do not have a negative impact on children who do not have sufficient funds, and that the identification of students with insufficient funds to pay for school meals is minimal. Such policies shall prohibit the use of alternate meals as an option when students do not have sufficient funds to pay for a meal at time of service. Such policies must be provided in writing to all students at the start of each school year, to students who transfer to the school during the school year, and, at the discretion of the school or board of cooperative educational services, throughout the school year. Such policies shall also be posted on the school's internet website, if one exists.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06850-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to school meal charge policies
Purpose
The purpose of this bill is to establish a uniform statewide meal charge policy in relation to unpaid meal charges, and the collection of delin- quent debt related to such charges.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. amends section 305 of the educations law by adding a new section 57 which provides for the commissioner of education to promul- gate rules and regulations regarding school meal charge policies related to unpaid meal charges the collection of such debt in order to ensure consistent and transparent practices. The policy and information relat- ing to the policy will be distributed to relevant school staff, parents, and students.
Section 2. is the enacting clause.
Justification
By ensuring that schools implement fair and consistent policies in regards to unpaid meal charges this legislation will end the practice of stigmatizing children in school who do not have lunch money, or whose parents are behind on making payments. The bill further provides protections to students by ensuring that identification of students who do not have sufficient funds is minimal, including prohibiting the use of alternate meals, which is discouraged by the United States Department of Agriculture.
Each child deserves to go to school without the shame of not being able to afford a school lunch. This bill affords that protection, while ensuring there is no negative impact on students with insufficient funds for meals.
Fiscal implications
Undetermined
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.