Bill Text: NJ SJR155 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges US Congress to pass legislation allowing a regional income eligibility requirement for school nutrition programs.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-11-07 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee [SJR155 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-SJR155-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex)
SYNOPSIS
Urges US Congress to pass legislation allowing a regional income eligibility requirement for school nutrition programs.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Joint Resolution respectfully urging the United States Congress to pass legislation increasing access to school nutrition programs.
Whereas, More than 12 million American children live in households that experience a limited availability of food at some point during the year; and
Whereas, School nutrition programs administered by the United States Department of Agriculture, like the School Breakfast Program (SBP) and National School Lunch Program (NSLP), provide accessible meals to millions of children in need; and
Whereas, Programs like SBP and NSLP provide an opportunity for children to eat healthy and nutritious meals, with some estimates showing a 29 percent reduction in poor health among children who participate in these programs; and
Whereas, Although these programs are limited to children living in households that earn at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty guideline, which is $47,637 for a family of four, approximately 7.2 percent of all households earning above this requirement have difficulty meeting basic food needs; and
Whereas, Eligibility for school nutrition programs are based on a poverty guideline that fails to consider variation in the cost of living; and
Whereas, Many households with income above $47,637 struggle to cover basic expenses like food due to the high cost of living in various states, with a family of four in New Jersey needing $74,748 respectively to cover basic living expenses; and
Whereas, Children living in households that have difficulty meeting basic food needs have a higher likelihood of anxiety and depression and show slower progress in mastering math and reading; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Governor and the Legislature of New Jersey respectfully urge the United States Congress to pass legislation broadening access to school nutrition programs by creating a regional income eligibility requirement that considers variation in a state's cost of living when determining a child's acceptance into a school nutrition program.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States House of Representatives, and each member of the United States Congress elected from this State.
3. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This resolution respectfully urges the United States Congress to pass legislation broadening access to school nutrition programs by creating a regional income eligibility requirement that considers variation in a state's cost of living.
Currently, children can participate in various school nutrition programs if the child lives in a household that earns at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty guideline. This income requirement, which equates to $47,637 for a family of four, is a national requirement that does not take into account variation in a state's cost of living.
As a result of this income requirement, families living above the 185 percent guideline but below their state's average cost of living have to balance additional food costs along with limited resources. This creates a situation where children are potentially left without adequate daily nutrition. Legislation creating a regional income eligibility requirement eliminates this issue by accounting for the cost of living variation, allowing struggling families living in expensive states the opportunity to apply for school nutrition programs for their children.
