STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
Senator VIN GOPAL
District 11 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Directs Department of Agriculture in consultation with DOE to establish online applications for National School Lunch Program and school breakfast programs.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning online applications for the National School Lunch Program and school breakfast programs, amending P.L.2003, c.4, and supplementing Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 3 of P.L.2003, c.4 (C.18A:33-11) is amended to read as follows:
3. In implementing a school lunch program, pursuant to P.L.1974, c.53 (C.18A:33-4 et seq.), a school breakfast program, pursuant to P.L.2003, c.4 (C.18A:33-9 et seq.) or section 6 of P.L.2022, c.104 (C.18A:33-10.1), or a breakfast after the bell program, pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2014, c.66 (C.18A:33-11.1) or section 2 of P.L.2018, c.25 (C.18A:33-11.3), each school and school district shall:
a. publicize, to parents and students, the availability of the respective school meals program, as well as the various ways in which a student may qualify to receive free or reduced price meals under the program, as provided by subsection a. of section 1 of P.L.1974, c.53 (C.18A:33-4) and subsection a. of section 12 of P.L.2022, c.104 (C.18A:33-14a);
b. make every effort to ensure that subsidized students are not recognized as program participants, by the student body, faculty, or staff, in a manner that is different from the manner in which unsubsidized students are recognized as program participants. Such efforts shall include, but need not be limited to, the establishment of a neutral meal plan or voucher system that does not make a distinction between subsidized and unsubsidized students; and
c. make every effort to:
(1) facilitate the prompt and accurate identification of categorically eligible students who may be certified to participate in the program, on a subsidized basis, without first submitting an application therefor, and, whenever an application is required to establish eligibility for subsidized meals, encourage students and their families to submit a subsidized school meals application for that purpose;
(2) facilitate and expedite, to the greatest extent practicable, the subsidized school meals application and income-eligibility determination processes that are used, by the school or school district, to certify a student for free or reduced price school meals on the basis of income, and assist parents and guardians in completing the school meals application; and
(3) encourage students who are neither categorically eligible nor income-eligible for free or reduced price school meals to nonetheless participate, on a paid and unsubsidized basis, in the program;
d. make every effort to make available the Internet-based application developed by the Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of Education, for school meal applications developed pursuant to section 2 of P.L. , c. ,(C. ) (pending before the legislature as this bill).
(cf: P.L.2022, c.104, s.7)
2. (New section) a. The Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of Education, shall develop and make available to each school district and nonprofit nonpublic school participating in the National School Lunch Program or in a school breakfast program, an Internet-based school meal application.
b. A school district or nonprofit nonpublic school participating in the National School Lunch Program or in a school breakfast program may implement the Internet-based school meal application developed pursuant to subsection a. of this section. If a school district or nonprofit nonpublic school implements the Internet-based school meal application, it shall also continue to make available paper applications for enrollment in the National School Lunch Program or in a school breakfast program.
c. If a school district or nonprofit nonpublic school currently provides an Internet-based school meal application for enrollment in the National School Lunch Program or in a school breakfast program, the school district or nonprofit nonpublic school shall have one year from the date of enactment of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this act) to switch to the Internet-based school meal application developed pursuant to subsection a. of this section.
d. As used in this section, school meal application means an Internet-based application designed for the online enrollment of eligible students in the National School Lunch Program or in a school breakfast program.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require the Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of Education, to develop and make available to each school district and nonpublic school participating in the National School Lunch Program or in a school breakfast program, an Internet-based online school meal application for eligible students to participate in these programs. Schools participating in the National School Lunch Program or in a school breakfast program would be encouraged to make the online school meal application available. A participating school district or nonpublic school that implements the online school meal application would also be required to continue to make available paper applications.