ASSEMBLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 5883

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 16, 2021

      The Assembly Women and Children Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 5883.

      As amended by the committee, this bill requires the Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of Education, to develop and administer a “breakfast after the bell” State supplement to provide an additional reimbursement to certain school districts that participate in the federal school breakfast program.

      Under the bill, the State will provide a 10-cent per breakfast supplement to the existing federal reimbursement to a school district with schools that participate in the federal school breakfast program by providing “breakfast after the bell.”

      The bill directs the Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of Education, to provide guidance and support to school districts, and to prepare and issue an annual report detailing the annual cost of the State supplement and the number and percentage of additional students participating in the “breakfast after the bell” program for each school district.

      The bill specifies that the Legislature is to annually appropriate funds necessary to implement the bill and that the effective date of bill is the first day of the 2022-2023 school year.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

      The committee amendments change the effective date of the bill from immediately to the first year of the 2022-2023 school year.