This bill mandates the Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Department of Education, to create and provide an Internet-based application for the National School Lunch Program and school breakfast programs. The legislation amends existing law to include a new requirement for schools to make this online application available to eligible students while also ensuring that traditional paper applications remain accessible. Schools that currently offer an online application will have one year from the bill's enactment to transition to the newly developed Internet-based application.

Additionally, the bill emphasizes the importance of publicizing the availability of school meal programs and ensuring that subsidized students are not stigmatized. It outlines efforts that schools must undertake to facilitate the identification and application processes for students eligible for free or reduced-price meals. The new legal language inserted into the current law includes provisions for the development and implementation of the Internet-based application, enhancing the accessibility of these essential programs for students and their families.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 18A:33-11