AB 1449, as introduced, Lopez. Pupil nutrition: prepackaged meals for pupils eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
Existing law requires each school district or county superintendent of schools maintaining kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, to provide for each needy pupil one nutritionally adequate free or reduced-price meal during each school day, as specified, and authorizes a school district or county office of education to use funds available through any federal or state program for those purposes, as specified.
This bill would express the Legislature’s intent to enact legislation that would enable schools that are not eligible for federal Title I funds to provide prepackaged meals to pupils attending the school who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. 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) A needy child who transfers from a school supported with
4funds authorized under Title I of the federal No Child Left Behind
5Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et seq.) to a better performing
P2 1school that is not supported by Title I funds may lose access to
2free or reduced-price school breakfast.
3(2) Often these children are caught between a rock and a hard
4place and end up trying to learn on an empty stomach. Although
5these children may continue to be eligible to receive a free or
6reduced-price breakfast at the school from which the child
7transferred, the reality is an overwhelming number
of these children
8do not have the luxury of squeezing in the extra travel time each
9morning.
10(3) Extra kitchen staff or extra staff time is expensive. However,
11having prepackaged foods that do not require onsite preparation
12reduces demands upon school staff.
13(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that
14would enable schools that are not eligible for funds authorized
15under Title I of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 to
16provide prepackaged meals to pupils who are eligible for free or
17reduced-price meals.
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