S.B. 2264 Summary

• Extends grace period for students with unpaid meal balances from 7 days to 30 days after a student's meal fund account reaches zero or negative balance before meals can be denied.

• Extends initial application processing period from 21 days to 30 days during the first semester while students' free or reduced lunch applications are being processed.

• Prohibits schools from serving alternative meals to students solely due to inability to pay and bans public identification or stigmatization through wristbands, hand stamps, chores, or food deprivation.

• Requires the Department of Education to use special school lunch fund moneys to provide meals at no charge for students in kindergarten through 12th grade who would otherwise pay reduced prices.

• Mandates annual Department of Education reports to the Legislature documenting the number of denied meals, affected students, reasons for denials, payment process improvements, and parental notification procedures.