Bill Summaries: H844 (2023-2024 Session)

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  • Summary date: Apr 24 2023 - View summary

    Amends GS 115C-263 to require public school units to have a school food authority to provide school nutrition services in the schools under their jurisdiction by offering students two free meals per day, breakfast and lunch (was, local boards of education must provide to the extent practicable school nutrition services in the schools under their jurisdiction). Requires the State Board of Education, to the extent funds are available for this purpose, to allocate funds to school food authorities at public school units to provide students with free healthy nutrition services. Requires, in issuing the allocation, that the amount  of the allocation be determined based the amount the school would have received from the federal government had all students qualified for federally free meals in the previous fiscal year minus the amount of federal funds actually received for free or reduced-price meals in the previous fiscal year. Requires the allocation to be issued at the beginning of each fiscal year, and allows the Board to reserve for future allocation a reasonable amount, not to 10% of the total funds available for providing nutrition services. Make conforming changes to GS 115C-47.

    Amends GS 115C-218.75 by requiring charter schools, GS 115C-238.72 by requiring regional schools, GS 115C-150.14 by requiring schools for students with visual and hearing impairments, and GS 116-239.8 requiring laboratory schools to provide school nutrition services according to GS 115C-263 and GS 115C-264 (setting out requirements for school nutrition programs, including that they participate in the National School Lunch Program). Makes conforming changes.

    Appropriates $172 million in recurring funds for 2023-24 from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction to provide nutrition services to students in public school units at no cost to the students. Allows the use of funds appropriated to State Aid for Public Schools for this purpose if this funding is insufficient for 2023-24.

    Authorizes the State Board of Education to adopt temporary rules to enact the act until such a time as permanent rules can be adopted.

    Effective July 1, 2023.