Chapter 69 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 1C1/2 the following section:-

Section 1C ¼. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a school district may opt out of any state non-income-based free lunch program, including a program required pursuant to section 1C. A school district that chooses not to participate in a non-income-based free lunch program may obtain and utilize for other purposes the funds that would be directed to the school district from the commonwealth under the program.

(b) If a school district does not choose to opt out of a state non-income-based free lunch program pursuant to subsection (a), a student’s parent or guardian may choose to opt out of the program. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, if the student’s parent or guardian chooses not to have the student participate in the free lunch program, the student may purchase school lunch at a rate set by the school district. The school district shall not count the non-participating student for the purposes of securing funds under the free lunch program. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the school district may obtain and utilize for other purposes the funds that would be directed to the school district from the commonwealth if the non-participating student were counted for purposes of the program, as determined by the board.