BILL ANALYSIS
SB 281
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 281 (Maldonado)
As Amended September 7, 2005
2/3 vote. Urgency
SENATE VOTE : Vote not relevant
AGRICULTURE 8-0
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|Ayes:|Matthews, Maze, | | |
| |Blakeslee, Canciamilla, | | |
| |Cogdill, Parra, Salinas, | | |
| |Vargas | | |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Creates a new pilot program, the California Fresh
Start Pilot Program (Program), to provide fruits and vegetables
to K-12 pupils and appropriates $400,000 from the Budget Act of
2005 for the Program. Specifically, this bill :
1)Establishes within the State Department of Education (SDE),
the Program, to be administered by SDE, in consultation with
the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and
the California Department of Health Services (DHS).
2)Requires SDE, in consultation with CDFA, DHS, and the State
Board of Education, to develop emergency regulations necessary
to implement the program and establish guidelines for
evaluation of the Program.
3)Provides that the purpose of the Program is to encourage
school districts to provide pupils fresh fruits and
vegetables, free of charge, in order to supplement other
fruits and vegetables that are available during regular lunch
periods.
4)Appropriates $400,000 from funds included in a specified item
of the Budget Act of 2005. [Schedule (9) of Item 6110-485 of
Section 2.00, Chapter 38, Statutes of 2005, as amended by
Chapter 39 of the Statutes of 2005] for the purpose of SDE
awarding competitive grants to school districts and charter
schools as follows:
a) No more than $100,000 may be utilized for professional
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training for school district personnel; and,
b) No more than $300,000 may be utilized to contract with
an independent evaluator, who shall determine the future
needs of the Program.
5)Provides that school districts may apply for reimbursement of
$0.10 per meal to supplement their school breakfast program,
provided they:
a) Utilize at least 90% of the funds for the direct
purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables;
b) Do not spend any of the funding on juice; and,
c) Employ educational strategies, particularly tasting and
sampling of fresh commodities.
FISCAL EFFECT : This bill, in its current form, has not been
heard in a fiscal committee of either house.
COMMENTS : The purpose of this bill is to promote the
consumption of fruits and vegetables by school age children.
There is a clear need to supplement children's diets with
nutritious fruits and vegetables in order to meet daily
recommendations.
Earlier this year, the Assembly Agriculture Committee heard
extensive testimony on AB 826 (Nava), which just passed the
Assembly Floor September 7, 2005 and is in Enrollment. This
bill has been substantially amended throughout the policy
process, and reflects the input of stakeholders who have
negotiated with the author and the administration in good faith.
While this bill continues to exclude juices, according to the
author and the Administration, it is the intent that it shall
not exclude nutritious fruits and vegetables, whether fresh,
frozen, dried, or otherwise processed.
Related legislation: AB 826 would create the California Program
and requires CDE, in collaboration with CDFA and DHS, to
implement the program. This bill authorizes CDFA, to the extent
funding is available, to provide outreach and training of school
food service personnel and the agricultural industry in order to
facilitate the delivery of fresh fruits and vegetables to school
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cafeterias. This bill was sent to enrollment on September 7,
2005.
SB 12 (Escutia) would revise nutritional guidelines for schools,
and specifies that fruits and non-fried vegetables, among other
foods and beverages that meet specific nutritional standards,
may be the only foods offered to students, with the exception of
food sold as part of a USDA meal program. This bill was
enrolled to the Governor September 7, 2005.
Analysis Prepared by : Dawn Clover / AGRI. / (916) 319-2084
FN: 0013265