Louisiana HB 107: SCHOOLS/FOOD PROGRAMS: Revises procedures relative to a student's inability to pay for school meals and a student's meal debt

Bill Text

HLS 20RS-310 ORIGINAL
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 107
BY REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES
SCHOOLS/FOOD PROGRAMS: Revises procedures relative to a student's inability to pay
for school meals and a student's meal debt
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 17:192(C), 192.2, and 3996(B)(59) and to repeal R.S. 17:192.1, relative to
3 school nutrition programs; to revise procedures relative to a student's inability to pay
4 for school meals and a student's meal debt; to require notification to a parent relative
5 to the amount of debt; to require the state Department of Education to provide
6 notification to certain schools and districts and assistance upon request relative to
7 certain federal nutrition options; and to provide for related matters.
8 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 17:192(C), 192.2, and 3996(B)(59) are hereby enacted to read as
10 follows:
11 §192. Lunches and breakfasts; duty to furnish; Community Eligibility Provision
12 * * *
13 C. The state Department of Education shall identify schools and school
14 districts eligible to participate in the federal Community Eligibility Provision option.
15 The department shall notify such schools and districts of their eligibility and, upon
16 request by a school or district, shall provide technical assistance and guidance
17 regarding the logistical and financial details of opting into the Community Eligibility
18 Provision.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.

HLS 20RS-310 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 107
1 §192.2. Meals; students' inability to pay and meal debt; procedures
2 A.(1) The provisions of this Section are applicable to the governing authority
3 of any public elementary school that provides meals to students at school sites under
4 the United States Department of Agriculture National School Lunch Program or
5 School Breakfast Program and are applicable to students in grades kindergarten
6 through eight.
7 (2)(a) A public school governing authority shall provide a United States
8 Department of Agriculture reimbursable meal or an alternative reimbursable meal
9 to a student who requests the meal regardless of whether the student has money to
10 pay for the meal or owes money for meals.
11 (b) The provisions of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph are not applicable
12 to a student whose parent has provided written permission for withholding a meal
13 from the student.
14 B.(1)(a) If a student owes money for three or more meals, the public school
15 governing authority shall determine whether the student has been identified as
16 categorically eligible for free school meals and may be directly certified without
17 application.
18 (b) If a student has not been identified as eligible as provided in
19 Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph, the public school governing authority shall make
20 at least two attempts to contact his parent to request that the parent apply for free or
21 reduced price lunches under the United States Department of Agriculture's Income
22 Eligibility Guidelines. If the student is not categorically eligible or the parent does
23 not apply, the public school governing authority shall make reasonable efforts to
24 contact the parent and to offer assistance filling out an application.
25 (2) If a public school governing authority has completed all of the actions
26 provided in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection and a parent is not responsive:
27 (a) The public school governing authority shall notify the parent of the
28 consequence of inaction, which is that the school governing authority may contact
29 the Department of Children and Family Services under certain circumstances if a
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.

HLS 20RS-310 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 107
1 student owes money for ten or more meals during a single school year as provided
2 in Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph.
3 (b) If a student owes money for ten or more meals during a single school
4 year and there is cause to believe that the child is the victim of abuse or neglect as
5 defined in Louisiana Children's Code Article 603, the school governing authority
6 shall contact the office of children and family services within the Department of
7 Children and Family Services to report the failure of the parent to pay for meals
8 which has resulted in the student accruing an unpaid meal balance for ten or more
9 meals.
10 C. A public school governing authority shall not take any of the following
11 actions relative to a student because he cannot pay for a meal or owes money for a
12 meal:
13 (1) Publicly identify or stigmatize him by requiring that he wear a wristband,
14 hand stamp, or other identifying marker.
15 (2) Require him to do chores or other work to pay for meals beyond what is
16 required of other students regardless of whether money is owed for meals.
17 (3) Withhold any school privileges.
18 (4) Scold him either o