What's happening
This bill requires New York schools to schedule student lunch periods between 2.5 and 4 hours after the school day starts.
Why it matters
Creates a uniform window for lunch periods across all public schools. , which could reduce disparities where some students currently eat much earlier or later than others, potentially improving focus and academic performance.
May address student health and nutrition by ensuring lunch is not scheduled too early or too late. , helping students avoid long stretches without food and supporting healthier eating habits.
Requires logistical adjustments for schools. , possibly affecting class schedules, staff shifts, and cafeteria operations, especially in larger or overcrowded schools where lunch periods are staggered.
Reflects growing recognition of the link between meal timing and student well-being. , suggesting that school policy should consider not just what food is served but also when it’s provided.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Set Lunch Period Times
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 26
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
2365
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 24, 2019
Introduced by Sen. KAVANAGH -- 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 scheduling school lunch periods
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 813 of the education law, as added by chapter 296 of the laws of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
§ 813. School lunch period; scheduling. Each school shall schedule [a reasonable time] times for students to consume lunch that begin no earlier than two and one-half hours and no later than four hours after the start of the school day for each full day pupil attending pre-kindergarten through grade twelve [to consume lunch].
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of August occurring in the year two years after which this act becomes a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02176-01-9
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 scheduling school lunch periods
Purpose
This bill would require school lunch periods to be scheduled between two and one-half hours and four hours after the start of the school day.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends section 81.3 of the education law by requiring that school lunch periods would be scheduled for at least two and one-half hours but not more than four hours after the start of the school day for those attending full day pre-kindergarten through grade twelve.
Section 2 provides for the effective date.
Justification
The current law requires that lunch be served at a "reasonable" time, but does not define what is reasonable. As school districts deal with overcrowding issues, many schools schedule lunch at an unreasonably early or late time. This bill will specify the reasonable hours within which schools can serve lunch.
Legislative history
2018: S7068 - REFERRED TO EDUCATION 2017: S4078/A4514 - REFERRED TO EDUCATION/ stricken 2016: S193/145696 - REFERRED TO EDUCATION/ referred to education 2015: S193/A5696 - REFERRED TO EDUCATION/ referred to education
Fiscal impact on the state
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of August occurring in the year two years after which this act becomes a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.