This bill establishes a system for the automatic enrollment of eligible students in the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) program, allowing parents or guardians the option to opt out. It amends RSA 189 by adding a new section, 189:11-f, which mandates the Department of Education to provide the Department of Health and Human Services with basic student information—specifically, the name, date of birth, and household address—of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals. The bill ensures that no additional personally identifiable information will be shared and that the data will be kept confidential, used solely for administering Summer EBT benefits, and deleted after the benefits distribution period, unless federal law requires otherwise.

Furthermore, the bill requires school districts to provide a distinct notice and opt-out form to parents or guardians alongside the notification of free or reduced-price meal eligibility. If a parent or guardian does not return the opt-out form within 15 days, the student will be automatically enrolled in the Summer EBT program. The Department of Health and Human Services is tasked with creating a secure electronic mechanism for receiving student data and establishing rules for standardized notices, secure transmission protocols, and data retention procedures. The bill also includes contingency provisions regarding its implementation based on the status of another legislative bill (SB 615) and outlines the effective dates for different sections of the act.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 189:68
As Amended by the House: 189:68
As Amended by the Senate: 189:11
HB1727 text: 189:68