ASSEMBLY, No. 1632

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION

 


 

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman  PAMELA R. LAMPITT

District 6 (Burlington and Camden)

Assemblywoman  VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Assemblyman  RALPH R. CAPUTO

District 28 (Essex)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywomen Vainieri Huttle, Jasey, Assemblyman Danielsen, Assemblywoman McKnight, Assemblyman Benson, Assemblywomen Downey and Timberlake

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires school district to establish “School Meal Fund” to assist students with school meal bill in arrears.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

  


An Act concerning school meals and supplementing chapter 33 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    a.  A board of education shall establish a “School Meal Fund” for the purpose of accepting donations to assist students with the purchase of school breakfast or school lunch and to fund any arrears in the school breakfast or school lunch bills of students enrolled in the school district.  A board of education shall accept donations from any person or entity, unless the donation is otherwise precluded by law or regulation.  The School Meal Fund shall be established through the adoption of a resolution by the board of education.  The fund shall be maintained under the jurisdiction of the board of education and the supervision of the school business administrator.

     The fund shall be credited with any donations made to the fund, any moneys allocated to the fund by the school district, and any interest income that may be earned on the investment of moneys in the fund.

     b.    The board of education shall ensure, through the adoption of a board policy, that all financial and bookkeeping controls are adequate to ensure appropriate fiscal accountability of the fund.  The board policy shall also outline the standards that shall be applied in making a determination to disburse funds from the School Meal Fund.  Disbursements from the fund shall be recorded showing the date, purpose, and amount of the disbursement.  The fund shall be subject to audit as part of the school district’s annual audit conducted pursuant to N.J.S.18A:23-1.

     c.     The board of education shall provide, through written and electronic means, information to the parents and guardians of students enrolled in the school district and to other residents of the school district and community organizations on the establishment of the fund, its purposes, and the procedures to be followed to make a donation to the fund.  The information shall also be posted in a prominent location on the school district’s Internet website.

 

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill requires a school district to establish a “School Meal Fund” for the purpose of accepting donations to assist students with the purchase of school breakfast or school lunch and to fund any arrears in the school breakfast or school lunch bills of students enrolled in the school district.  The fund will be established through the adoption of a resolution by the board of education.  The board will also adopt a policy that will ensure the fiscal accountability of the fund and will outline the standards that will be applied in making a determination to disburse moneys from the School Meal Fund. The fund will be subject to audit as part of the school district’s annual audit required under current law.

     The bill directs a board of education to provide, through written and electronic means, information to the parents and guardians of students enrolled in the school district and to other residents of the school district and community organizations on the establishment of the fund, its purposes, and the procedures to be followed to make a donation to the fund. The information will also be posted in a prominent location on the school district’s Internet website.