CA AB1594

Requires charter schools to provide each low-income student with one nutritionally adequate free or reduced-price meal during each schoolday, consistent with existing requirements for traditional public schools.

Exempts charter schools offering only nonclassroom-based instruction or only online instruction from the meal requirement; hybrid schools need only serve students in classroom-based programs.

Implementation timeline: charter schools new as of July 1, 2014 must comply upon opening; schools already providing meals in 2012-13 must comply starting 2013-14; schools not providing meals in 2012-13 must comply by the school year following their next scheduled charter renewal.

Establishes that if the Commission on State Mandates determines this imposes state-mandated costs, reimbursement shall be made through existing statutory procedures under Government Code Section 17500 et seq.