SECTION 1. Section 1C of Chapter 69 of the General Law, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the third paragraph the following:- “The board shall require all schools providing school lunch as provided in the National School Lunch Act as amended or school breakfast as provided in the National Child Nutrition Act as amended, to make breakfast and lunch available at no charge to each attending student. Schools shall maximize access to federal funds for the cost of school breakfast and lunch programs by adopting the federal Community Eligibility Provision, Provision 2, or other provisions under these acts.

To the extent that costs are not reimbursed through federal funds the cost of making available school lunches and breakfasts shall be borne by the department of elementary and secondary education. The department shall reimburse the difference between the amount paid by the United States Department of Agriculture and the free rate as set annually by the United States Secretary of Agriculture under 42 U.S.C. 1759a for each school.

The department, in consultation with the department of transitional assistance, shall promulgate regulations for schools to promote the supplemental nutrition assistance program to families by either providing application assistance or a direct referral to an outreach partner identified by the department of transitional assistance or department of elementary and secondary education.”

SECTION 2:  Sections under this act shall take effect on July 1, 2023.