SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1013        FILED ON: 1/18/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 261

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Sal N. DiDomenico

_________________

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 relative to universal school meals.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

 

Jack Patrick Lewis

7th Middlesex

1/23/2023

Hannah Kane

11th Worcester

1/24/2023

Michael D. Brady

Second Plymouth and Norfolk

1/24/2023

Nick Collins

First Suffolk

1/24/2023

Jacob R. Oliveira

Hampden, Hampshire and Worcester

1/25/2023

Brian W. Murray

10th Worcester

1/25/2023

Joanne M. Comerford

Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester

1/25/2023

Paul W. Mark

Berkshire, Hampden, Franklin and Hampshire

1/25/2023

Michael J. Soter

8th Worcester

1/27/2023

Manny Cruz

7th Essex

1/27/2023

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

1/27/2023

Patricia D. Jehlen

Second Middlesex

1/27/2023

Danillo A. Sena

37th Middlesex

1/27/2023

Robyn K. Kennedy

First Worcester

1/27/2023

Mathew J. Muratore

1st Plymouth

1/27/2023

Anne M. Gobi

Worcester and Hampshire

1/27/2023

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

1/27/2023

Kenneth I. Gordon

21st Middlesex

1/30/2023

Carmine Lawrence Gentile

13th Middlesex

1/30/2023

John F. Keenan

Norfolk and Plymouth

1/30/2023

Walter F. Timilty

Norfolk, Plymouth and Bristol

1/31/2023

Jessica Ann Giannino

16th Suffolk

1/31/2023

Vanna Howard

17th Middlesex

2/1/2023

Mark C. Montigny

Second Bristol and Plymouth

2/1/2023

Susan Williams Gifford

2nd Plymouth

2/2/2023

Michael O. Moore

Second Worcester

2/2/2023

Patrick M. O'Connor

First Plymouth and Norfolk

2/2/2023

Lydia Edwards

Third Suffolk

2/6/2023

Susannah M. Whipps

2nd Franklin

2/6/2023

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

2/10/2023

Rodney M. Elliott

16th Middlesex

2/14/2023

Adam Gomez

Hampden

2/23/2023

Carlos González

10th Hampden

3/1/2023

Rebecca L. Rausch

Norfolk, Worcester and Middlesex

3/1/2023

Paul R. Feeney

Bristol and Norfolk

3/7/2023

Julian Cyr

Cape and Islands

3/9/2023

Michael F. Rush

Norfolk and Suffolk

3/14/2023

Brendan P. Crighton

Third Essex

3/15/2023

John C. Velis

Hampden and Hampshire

4/12/2023

Joan B. Lovely

Second Essex

4/18/2023

Edward J. Kennedy

First Middlesex

5/1/2023

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

8/9/2023


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1013        FILED ON: 1/18/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 261

By Mr. DiDomenico, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 261) of Sal N. DiDomenico, Jack Patrick Lewis, Hannah Kane, Michael D. Brady and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to universal school meals.  Education.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 314 OF 2021-2022.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

An Act relative to universal 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. Section 1C of Chapter 69 of the General Law, as appearing in the 2020 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.