HOUSE BILL 10

54th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2020

INTRODUCED BY

Willie D. Madrid and Melanie Ann Stansbury

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS; ELIMINATING REDUCED-PRICE COPAYMENTS FOR SCHOOL BREAKFAST AND LUNCH PROGRAMS; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] SCHOOL MEALS--REDUCED-PRICE COPAYMENTS ELIMINATED.--

          A. As used in this section:

                (1) "reduced-price copayment" means the amount a reduced-price-eligible student would be charged for a reduced-price meal; and

                (2) "reduced-price-eligible student" means a student who meets the federal income eligibility guidelines for family-size income levels for meals at a reduced price pursuant to the national school lunch program and the federal school breakfast program.

          B. School districts and charter schools that administer a school breakfast or school lunch program shall not charge a reduced-price-eligible student a reduced-price copayment for meals.

          C. The department shall provide funding to each school district and charter school that administers a school breakfast or school lunch program to cover the cost of eliminating reduced-price copayments. Funding shall be based on a per-meal basis at the difference between the federal free meal rate and the reduced-price copayment rate. When calculating the amount due a school district or charter school, the department shall assume that the number of reduced-price-eligible students will remain at the same level as the previous year. If a school district or charter school has not previously had a school breakfast program or school lunch program in which meals were served to reduced-price-eligible students, the department shall work with the school district or charter school to determine an accurate estimate of funding for the program.

          D. By August 1 of each year, the department shall inform school districts and charter schools of the amounts the school districts and charter schools will receive to offset the elimination of reduced-price copayments for the upcoming school year. School districts and charter schools are not required to demonstrate their expenses to receive funding pursuant to this section.

          E. The department shall promulgate rules necessary to implement the provisions of this section, including procedures for reimbursing school districts and charter schools."

     SECTION 2. APPROPRIATION.--Six hundred fifty thousand dollars ($650,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the public education department for expenditure in fiscal year 2021 to eliminate reduced-price copayments for public school meal programs. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2021 shall revert to the general fund.

     SECTION 3. APPLICABILITY.--The provisions of this act apply to the 2020-2021 and subsequent school years.

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