Bill Text: NJ SR84 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges President and Congress to enact "CARE for Kids Act of 2019."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2022-01-10 - Filed with Secretary of State [SR84 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-SR84-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator NELLIE POU
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Urges President and Congress to enact "CARE for Kids Act of 2019."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Senate Resolution urging the President and Congress of the United States to enact the "CARE for Kids Act of 2019."
Whereas, School meals are critical to children's health and well-being and ensure that children have the nutrition they need to effectively learn throughout the school day; and
Whereas, Research shows that receiving free school meals reduces food insecurity, obesity rates, and poor health among children; and
Whereas, The federal School Breakfast Program (SBP) and the federal National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provide nutritionally balanced, free school meals to millions of American children each school day; and
Whereas, Under the SBP and NSLP, children may be determined categorically eligible for free school meals through participation in certain federal assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or based on the child's status as a homeless, migrant, runaway, or foster child; and
Whereas, Under the SBP and NSLP, children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for free school meals; and
Whereas, Many children are excluded from categorical eligibility to receive free school meals because they have moved out of the foster care system and are in the care of grandparents or other relatives who have adopted them or have become their legal guardians; and
Whereas, More than 7.8 million children under the age of 18 live in homes where the householders are grandparents or relatives other than their parents; and
Whereas, The federal "Caregivers Access and Responsible Expansion (CARE) for Kids Act of 2019," introduced by United States Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), provides automatic eligibility for free school meals to children being raised by a relative who receives adoption or guardianship assistance; to children being raised by grandparents or other relatives due to placement by a state or tribal welfare agency; and to children living in "grandfamily" housing or receiving housing assistance under the "Native American Housing and Self-Determination Act of 1996"; and
Whereas, It is altogether fitting and proper to urge the President and Congress of the United States to enact the "CARE for Kids Act of 2019," to automatically provide free school meals to American children who are being raised by grandparents or relatives other than their parents; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House urges the President and Congress of the United States to enact the "CARE for Kids Act of 2019," to provide automatic eligibility for free school meals to American children who are being raised by grandparents or relatives other than their parents.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the President of the United States, Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, to the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, and to each member of the United States Congress elected from this State.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges the President and Congress of the United States to enact the "CARE for Kids Act of 2019," to provide automatic eligibility for free school meals to American children who are being raised by grandparents or relatives other than their parents.
The federal School Breakfast Program (SBP) and the federal National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provide nutritionally balanced, free meals to millions of American children each school day. Under the SBP and the NSLP, children may be determined categorically eligible for free school meals through participation in certain federal assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or based on the child's status as a homeless, migrant, runaway, or foster child. Additionally, children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for free school meals.
Many children are excluded from categorical eligibility to receive free school meals because they have moved out of the foster care system and are in the care of grandparents or other relatives who have adopted them or have become their legal guardians. This is the case for more than 7.8 million children under the age of 18 who live in homes where the householders are grandparents or relatives other than their parents.
The federal "Caregivers Access and Responsible Expansion (CARE) for Kids Act of 2019" provides automatic eligibility for free school meals to: children being raised by a relative who receives adoption or guardianship assistance; children being raised by grandparents or other relatives due to placement by a state or tribal welfare agency; and children living in "grandfamily" housing or receiving housing assistance under the "Native American Housing and Self-Determination Act of 1996."
