AB 496, as amended, Rendon. Pupil nutrition: fresh drinking water: funding.
Existing law requires a school district to provide access to free, fresh drinking water during meal times in the food service areas of the schools under its jurisdiction, unless the governing board of the school district adopts a resolution stating that it is unable to comply with that requirement, as specified.
This bill would authorize the State Department of Education to receive funds transferred from available state and federal sources, to be allocated to school districts for purposes of complying with the requirement for providing access to drinking water specified above, and would require the departmentbegin insert to consult with the State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Drinking Water Programsend insert to identify available sources of
funding forbegin delete those purposes.end deletebegin insert school water quality and infrastructure. The bill would authorize school districts to use these funds for water quality projects including, but not limited to, water treatment, water facilities restructuring, water filling stations, and maintenance of water facilities.end insert
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:
3(1) Recent studies show that unsafe drinking water plagues
4school water systems at a startling rate.
5(2) Some schools have sealed pipes and turned off drinking
6fountains due to lead piping and other water system contaminants.
7(3) Limited funding and a growing list of needs to rebuild school
8infrastructure causes the need for clean drinking water to fall by
9the wayside.
10(4) Schools need a one-stop shop where information and funding
11is available for clean drinking water programs.
12(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to build public confidence
13in our state’s water systems, and to ensure that schools serving our
14children have clean water available to pupils at all times.
Section 38086 of the Education Code is amended to
16read:
(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), a school
18district shall provide access to free, fresh drinking water during
19meal times in the food service areas of the schools under its
20jurisdiction, including, but not necessarily limited to, areas where
21reimbursable meals under the National School Lunch Program or
22the federal School Breakfast Program are served or consumed. A
23school district may comply with this section by, among other
24means, providing cups and containers of water or soliciting or
25receiving donated bottled water.
26(b) The governing board of a school district may adopt a
27resolution stating that it is unable to comply with the requirements
28of this section and
demonstrating the reasons why it is unable to
29comply due to fiscal constraints or health and safety concerns. The
30resolution shall be publicly noticed on at least two consecutive
31meeting agendas, first as an information item and second as an
32action item, and approved by at least a majority of the governing
33board of the school district.
34(c) The department may receive funds transferred from any
35available state and federal source, to be allocated by the department
36to school districts for the purpose of complying with the
37requirements of this section. The department shallbegin insert consult with the
38State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Drinking Water
P3 1Programs toend insert identify available sources of funding, including, but
2not limited to,begin insert
funding from Proposition 1, approved by the voters
3at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election,end insert funds for
4safe drinking water programs administered by the department, the
5State Department of Public Health, the Department of Water
6Resources, and the State Water Resources Controlbegin delete Board.end deletebegin insert Board,
7other state funding, and federal fundingend insertbegin insert available to fund school
8water quality and infrastructure.end insert
9(d) School districts may use funds received pursuant to
10subdivision (c) for water quality projects
including, but not limited
11to, water treatment, water facilities restructuring, water filling
12stations, and maintenance of water facilities.
O
98