What's happening
This bill requires all New York public schools to provide free bottled water as a lunch drink option for students.
Why it matters
Expands access to clean drinking water. By mandating free bottled water during lunch, the bill directly addresses concerns about the quality or availability of tap water in some schools, ensuring all students can hydrate safely.
Reduces reliance on sugary drinks. Offering water as a standard, no-cost option may encourage students to choose healthier beverages over sodas or juice, potentially impacting student health and obesity rates.
Creates financial and logistical requirements for schools. Public schools will need to budget for and manage the distribution of bottled water, which could present new costs, supply chain challenges, and environmental considerations regarding plastic waste.
Standardizes student experience across districts. The requirement applies to every public school, helping to ensure that access to water during lunch is not determined by a school’s resources or local policies, promoting greater equity in student health supports.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Free Bottled Water at Lunch
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
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
1078
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. JACKSON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to enacting the Drink Up Act requiring public schools to provide water during lunch
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Drink Up Act".
§ 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 916-c to read as follows:
§ 916-c. Water during lunch; requirement. Every public school shall offer water in a sealed bottled container as an additional drink option to any student during lunch at no cost to such student.
§ 3. 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.
LBD02372-01-5
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.