67th Legislature HB 467.1
1 HOUSE BILL NO. 467
2 INTRODUCED BY J. KARJALA
3
4 A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT PROHIBITING A SCHOOL DISTRICT FROM STIGMATIZING A
5 STUDENT WHO CANNOT PAY FOR A SCHOOL MEAL OR HAS A NEGATIVE SCHOOL MEAL ACCOUNT
6 BALANCE; REQUIRING ANY COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT REGARDING A
7 SCHOOL MEAL ACCOUNT BALANCE TO BE DIRECTED TO THE STUDENT'S PARENT OR GUARDIAN
8 ONLY; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.”
9
10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
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12 NEW SECTION. Section 1. Lack of payment for school meals -- stigmatization prohibited. (1)
13 With regard to a student who cannot pay for a school meal or for a meal that was previously served to the
14 student, a school district employee, contractor, or volunteer may not:
15 (a) take any action that would stigmatize the student for being unable to pay for a meal that was
16 previously served to the student, including but not limited to requiring the student to wear a wristband, hand
17 stamp, or other identifying marker or serving the student an alternative meal; or
18 (b) require the student to dispose of an already served meal because of the student's inability to pay
19 for that meal or a previous meal.
20 (2) A school district shall direct any communications regarding a student's unpaid debt for previously
21 served school meals to the student's parent or guardian only. Nothing in this subsection prohibits a school
22 district from sending a notice addressed to the student's parent or guardian home with the student.
23
24 NEW SECTION. Section 2. Codification instruction. [Section 1] is intended to be codified as an
25 integral part of Title 20, chapter 10, part 2, and the provisions of Title 20, chapter 10, part 2, apply to [section 1].
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27 NEW SECTION. Section 3. Effective date. [This act] is effective July 1, 2021.
28 - END -
-1- Authorized Print Version – HB 467