ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 3506

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MARCH 12, 2018

      The Assembly Education Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 3506 with committee amendments.

     As amended, this bill requires a public school in which 70% or more of the students enrolled in the school on or before the last school day before October 16 of the preceding school year were eligible for free or reduced price meals under the National School Lunch Program or the federal School Breakfast Program to establish a “breakfast after the bell” program in the school.

     The bill requires that within six months of the bill’s effective date, school districts must submit a plan for the establishment of a “breakfast after the bell” program for all grades at each school subject to the provisions of the bill.  The plan is required to comply with the requirements of the School Breakfast Program and conform to the guidelines of best practices which will be created by the Department of Agriculture. No later than the first full school year after the submission of the plan, the district must establish a “breakfast after the bell” program in accordance with the plan.  The bill includes a provision that permits a school district to request a waiver from the provisions of the bill for any school which meets a specified participation rate in the school breakfast program.

     The bill also permits a public school to establish a paid “breakfast after the bell” program for students not eligible for free or reduced price meals under the National School Lunch Program or the federal School Breakfast Program.

     The bill will become effective one year after the date of enactment.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

     The committee amended the bill to:

· Clarify the timeline for submission of the “breakfast after the bell” program plan to the Department of Agriculture and for the implementation of the “breakfast after the bell” program in the schools subject to the provisions of the bill; and

· Provide for a process pursuant to which a school district may be granted a waiver by the Department of Agriculture of the requirements of the bill for any school in which more than 70 percent of eligible students received a meal under the school breakfast program during the preceding school year.