Bill Text: MI SB0500 | 2023-2024 | 102nd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Education: meals; free school lunch and breakfast program; create. Amends 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1 - 380.1852) by adding sec. 1271. TIE BAR WITH: HB 5042'23
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-1)
Status: (Introduced) 2023-09-27 - Referred To Committee Of The Whole [SB0500 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2023-SB0500-Introduced.html
SENATE BILL NO. 500
A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled
"The revised school code,"
(MCL 380.1 to 380.1852) by adding section 1271.
the people of the state of michigan enact:
Sec. 1271. (1) The department shall establish and operate a program to provide free school lunch and breakfast to public school pupils in grades pre-K to 12 and to pupils who are not more than 26 years of age and are enrolled in special education programs, including pupils who attend the Michigan School for the Deaf.
(2) A participating entity shall apply to the department, in a form and manner determined by the department, to participate in the free school lunch and breakfast program established under subsection (1). The department shall approve a participating entity's application if the participating entity does all of the following:
(a) Participates in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program.
(b) Provides reimbursable breakfasts and reimbursable lunches at no cost to all public school pupils for any school breakfast program or school lunch program operated by the participating entity.
(c) Submits information regarding the number of reimbursable breakfasts and reimbursable lunches served in a manner determined by the department.
(d) Maximizes federal reimbursement for reimbursable breakfasts and reimbursable lunches by operating under the CEP if the participating entity has an identified student percentage greater than or equal to the minimum requirement to be eligible to participate in the CEP. For purposes of this subdivision, all eligible participating entities must elect CEP on behalf of a single school, a group or groups of schools, or all schools in the participating entity, as applicable, in a manner that maximizes federal reimbursement as determined by the department.
(e) Meets all applicable federal and state standards in its school breakfast and lunch programs, as determined by the department.
(f) Takes all efforts to maximize and implement policies that encourage parents or legal guardians to fill out relevant family income information, in a manner prescribed by the department, for the purposes of determining student eligibility for federal free or reduced cost meal reimbursement rates, CEP eligibility determinations, and other educational benefits.
(g) Forgives all school meal debt, as determined by the department.
(3) Subject to federal law and regulations, participating entities shall offer meals that meet a pupil's disability or medical need that restricts the pupil's diet if that disability or medical need is documented by a medical statement signed by a health professional. Accommodations must be made on a case-by-case basis. Participating entities are encouraged to offer meals that meet a pupil's religious or dietary preferences, including, but not limited to, vegetarian, kosher, and halal meals, if those religious or dietary preferences meet the federal meal pattern requirements.
(4) As used in this section:
(a) "CEP" means the Community Eligibility Provision under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, 42 USC 1751 to 1769j.
(b) "Health professional" means an individual who is licensed, registered, or otherwise authorized to engage in a health profession under article 15 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.16101 to 333.18838.
(c) "Participating entity" means a public school or the Michigan School for the Deaf.
Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect unless Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No.____ (request no. 04195'23) of the 102nd Legislature is enacted into law.
