HI SB423

Prohibits denying students meals solely for failure to pay during the first 21 days of the first semester while free or reduced lunch applications are being processed.

Prohibits denying students meals for failure to pay within 7 days after a student's meal fund account reaches zero or negative balance.

Authorizes the Department of Education to adopt rules and policies for collecting funds from negative meal account balances, provided such rules cannot prohibit feeding students as required by this Act.

Requires the Department of Education to submit a report to the legislature by 20 days before the 2018 regular session detailing meal denials, affected students, reasons for account deficits, payment process improvements, and parental notification procedures.

Effective date: July 1, 2017.