SENATE DOCKET, NO. 773        FILED ON: 1/16/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 257

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Cynthia Stone Creem

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act to expand access to school meals.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Cynthia Stone Creem

First Middlesex and Norfolk

 

Andres X. Vargas

3rd Essex

 

William N. Brownsberger

Second Suffolk and Middlesex

1/28/2019

Tram T. Nguyen

18th Essex

1/28/2019

Anne M. Gobi

Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex

1/29/2019

Jennifer E. Benson

37th Middlesex

1/29/2019

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

1/30/2019

Patricia D. Jehlen

Second Middlesex

1/30/2019

David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf

17th Worcester

1/31/2019

Mike Connolly

26th Middlesex

1/31/2019

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

2/1/2019

Rebecca L. Rausch

Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex

2/1/2019

Julian Cyr

Cape and Islands

2/1/2019

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

5/8/2019


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 773        FILED ON: 1/16/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 257

By Ms. Creem, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 257) of Cynthia Stone Creem, Andres X. Vargas, William N. Brownsberger, Tram T. Nguyen and other members of the General Court for legislation to expand access to school lunch.  Education.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

An Act to expand access to school meals.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 72 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting the following new section:

Section 72A:  School districts shall qualify a student for free meal status if said child is a) under the legal custody or guardianship of a grandparent or other non-parent relative, b) a child with disabilities who receives Supplemental Security Income benefits pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 1382, or c) a child with special needs who was formerly in foster care and whose caregivers now receive assistance under Title IV B or IVE guardianship or adoption assistance pursuant to 42 U.S.C.621. 

The department of elementary and secondary education shall reimburse school districts for costs incurred under this section .  The department shall take reasonable steps to determine whether such children qualify for direct certification of free school meals under 42 U.S.C. 1758 (b) (5), including children in receipt of MassHealth benefits in accordance with Chapter 118E of the General Laws.