By Van de Putte S.B. No. 334
77R1251 KKA-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the summer food service program.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Sections 33.024(e), (g), (h), and (m), Human
1-5 Resources Code, are amended to read as follows:
1-6 (e) School district facilities shall be utilized for the
1-7 summer program unless[:]
1-8 [(1)] the district provides documentation, verified by
1-9 the department and the agency, showing that the cost to the
1-10 district exceeds the funds available for the summer program[;] or
1-11 showing
1-12 [(2) the Department of Human Services verifies] that
1-13 the program will operate at adequate alternative facilities. In
1-14 cooperation with the field offices, the department and the agency
1-15 shall jointly develop criteria to be used in determining whether
1-16 alternative facilities are adequate. The department and the agency
1-17 shall include information relating to the developed criteria in the
1-18 notification provided to school districts under Subsection (d).
1-19 (g) A waiver under Subsection (f) may be granted by the
1-20 department and the agency[,] to a school district if:
1-21 (1) the district demonstrates to the department and
1-22 the agency that:
1-23 (A) there are fewer than 100 children in the
1-24 district currently eligible for free or reduced-price meals;
2-1 (B) transportation remains an insurmountable
2-2 obstacle despite consultation by the district with public transit
2-3 providers;
2-4 (C) the district is unable to operate a summer
2-5 program due to renovation or construction within the district and
2-6 an appropriate alternative provider or site is not available; or
2-7 (D) the district is unable to operate a summer
2-8 program due to other extenuating circumstances and an appropriate
2-9 alternative provider or site is not available; and
2-10 (2) the district provides [works with] the field
2-11 offices with a list of [to identify] other persons and agencies in
2-12 the district who were contacted as potential providers or sites for
2-13 the summer program.
2-14 (h) The department and the agency may not grant [If the
2-15 school district has requested] a waiver under Subsection (f) until
2-16 the school district and [has been unable to provide a list of
2-17 possible sponsors to the department,] the field office have worked
2-18 together [offices shall continue efforts] to locate an alternative
2-19 sponsor for the summer program or have jointly determined that an
2-20 alternative sponsor is unavailable.
2-21 (m) The department shall administer a grant program from
2-22 funds appropriated or otherwise made available for that purpose.
2-23 The department shall design the grant program [designed] to:
2-24 (1) encourage eligible organizations to serve as local
2-25 sponsors [or meal preparation sites] for the summer program by
2-26 awarding a financial supplement for each meal served; and
2-27 (2) encourage increased program participation by
3-1 awarding bonuses to local sponsors who serve a number of meals
3-2 during a summer that is at least 10 percent higher than the number
3-3 of meals the sponsor served during the previous summer [from funds
3-4 appropriated or otherwise made available for that purpose].
3-5 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.