NJ S2117

School districts must exhaust all options to directly certify students for free or reduced-price meals before notifying parents of meal bill arrears.

Parents must receive a 10-day notice period to pay overdue meal bills, followed by a second notice warning that meals may be denied after one additional week if payment is not made.

Students with meal debt cannot be shamed, treated differently, sent to the end of the food line, or served different meals than other students.

Districts are prohibited from directing any collection actions at students for unpaid meal fees and cannot threaten child protective services reports solely over meal debt.

The law takes effect on the first day of the first full school year following enactment and applies to New Jersey public schools.