What's happening
This bill requires New York City public schools to provide meal options meeting religious dietary restrictions if enough students request them.
Why it matters
Addresses religious equity in public schools. By mandating schools to provide meal options that comply with religious dietary restrictions if at least 25% of students require them, the bill ensures that students from faith backgrounds (e.g., halal, kosher, vegetarian for religious reasons) are not excluded from participating fully in school meal programs.
Responsive to student needs regardless of percentage. Even if fewer than 25% of students at a school observe such dietary restrictions, the bill requires schools to accommodate any student who requests a compliant meal, promoting inclusion and respect for individual students’ religious practices.
Potential operational and budget considerations. Schools may need to adapt their food service operations, menus, and procurement processes, which could mean changes in kitchen practices, staff training, or food sourcing, potentially affecting costs and logistics for the school system.
Supports cultural and religious diversity. The legislation formally recognizes the diversity of New York City's student body and aims to reduce barriers to accessing school meals, supporting better nutrition and well-being for students who might otherwise opt out or feel marginalized.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Religious Food Options
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to new york city education
- Reported and committed to education
- Print number 2838b
- Amend and recommit to new york city education
- Print number 2838a
- Amend (t) and recommit to new york city education
- Referred to new york city education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Require Religious School Food Options
In Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor Latoya Joyner
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2838--B
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 29, 2019
Introduced by Sens. GOUNARDES, COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on New York City Education -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring certain public schools in any city with a population over one million to offer food options which meet dietary restrictions of certain students
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 915-a to read as follows:
§ 915-a. Food options. 1. In any city having over one million inhabitants, any public school that has twenty-five percent or more of students practicing a religious faith with specific dietary restrictions shall offer food options which meet such dietary restrictions at each meal offered.
2. Any public school in a city with a population of one million or more with fewer than twenty-five percent of students practicing a religious faith with specific dietary restrictions shall offer food options at each meal that meet such dietary restrictions upon any student's request and in sufficient amounts to meet the needs of any such students, but shall not otherwise be required to offer such food options.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rules or regulations necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made on or before such date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07698-04-9
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 requiring certain public schools in any city with a population over one million to offer food options which meet dietary restrictions of certain students
Purpose or general idea of bill
According to reporting by the New York Times, about 95 percent of Muslim children in the City of New York attend public schools. Due to the over- whelming majority of Muslim families choosing New York City public schools to educate their children, this bill will provide accommodation to those students in respect of their dietary restrictions known as Halal. The halal diet consists of specific slaughtering and preparation processes that must be followed precisely in order to remain permissible for practicing Muslims to consume. This bill will provide Halal lunch options to the Muslim students attending public schools that host a large Muslim student population in the City of New York.
Additionally, there are other large groups of students that observe a common religion that requires a dietary restriction within the public school system of the City of New York. For example, there are public schools that host a large population of students that identify with Judaism and are required to keep Kosher, the diet of those who partic- ipate in Judaism. The Kosher diet, much like the Halal diet, consists of specific slaughtering and preparation processes that must be followed precisely in order to remain permissible for practicing members of the Jewish faith to consume.
Read the full memo (787 words)
Summary of provisions
Section one of the bill amends the Education Law by adding a new section 915-a. This new section requires any New York City public school that has twenty-five percent or more of students practicing a religious faith with specific dietary restrictions to offer food options that meet such dietary restrictions at each meal offered. Paragraph two of section 915-a provides that any school with fewer than twenty-five percent of students practicing a religious faith with specific dietary restrictions shall offer such food upon the students' request, but shall not other- wise be automatically required.
Section two of the bill provides that this act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rules or regu- lations necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized to be made on or before such date.
Justification
The City of New York is the only city in The State of New York that has a population of over one million people. According to the Department of Education, the City provides public education to about 1,135,334 students across its five boroughs. Within the City there are an esti- mated 600,000 to 1,000,000 Muslim residents. According to a study published by Columbia University, approximately ten percent of the New York City public school children are Muslim.
Within the City of New York, there are also about 1.1 million Jewish residents. According to the UJA-Federation of New York, about one third of Jewish students attend public school in New York City, which trans- lates to more than 100,000 Jewish public school students in the five boroughs.
So, more than 200,000 public school students in the City of New York are subject to a financial burden that other students are not liable for.
In order to truly fulfill the Mayor's Free Lunch for All program, legis- lative action must be taken to equitably distribute meal opportunities to students of all faiths, especially those that are commonly observed in The City of New York's public schools.
This bill will finally relieve the many families that rely on the State's largest public school system to provide a reasonable educational experience in the critical years of their children's' youth and educa- tion.
This bill advocates for a fair lunch program provided to the students enrolled in the public school system of the City of New York. This bill also recognizes the changes required to public school policy as a result of an increasingly diverse New York City public school system.
Existing law
Currently, there is no requirement to provide food options in New York City schools.
Prior legislative history
2013: S5900A - Referred to Rules 2014: S5900A - Referred to Education 2015/2016: S1032 - Referred to Education 2017/2018: S4414 - Referred to Education
Fiscal implications
TBD
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rules or regulations necessary for the implementa- tion of this act on its effective date is authorized to be made on or before such date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.