BILL NUMBER: S5057
SPONSOR: HINCHEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend chapter 537 of the laws of 1976 relating to paid, free
and reduced price breakfast for eligible pupils in certain school
districts, in relation to increasing the state subsidy for school lunch
meals
 
PURPOSE:
To increase the state subsidy for the 30% NYS Incentive to 25 cents per
meal.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one would amend chapter 537 of the laws of 1976 to raise the
subsidy for the 30% NYS Incentive to 25 cents per meal.
Section two states the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The Farm to School Program, commonly referred to as the 30% NYS Incen-
tive, created in 2018 provides additional funding, up to 19 cents per
lunch, to school districts that spend 30% of their food budget on quali-
fied, NYS-grown products. The program has been successful in providing
students with locally produced nutritional foods while also supporting
the State's farming community.
In last year's budget, steps were taken to resolve an issue with this
program and the Community Eligibility provision (CEP) to ensure that
schools participating in both programs could receive their full subsidy.
However, in the process the subsidy for the 30% NYS Incentive was clari-
fied as approximately 19 cents, per SED guidance from April of 2024.
This bill would make the subsidy 25 cents per meal in order to better
incentivize schools to locally source their food.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.