BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 376

By: Lucio

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that a relatively low percentage of students eligible for free or reduced school meals eat breakfast in Texas schools. The parties contend that increasing participation in school breakfast programs will have a positive financial impact on schools that are trying to meet the needs of low-income students by leveraging additional federal funds and will reduce hunger among low-income children, thus increasing academic achievement, improving health and nutrition, and building lifelong healthy eating habits. S.B. 376 seeks to encourage greater participation in the national school breakfast program and improve outcomes for students enrolled in high poverty schools by requiring schools with a high percentage of students who qualify under the program to offer a free breakfast to each student.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 376 amends the Education Code to require a school district campus or an open-enrollment charter school participating in the national school breakfast program provided by the federal Child Nutrition Act of 1966 and in which 80 percent or more of the students qualify for a free or reduced-price breakfast to offer a free breakfast to each student. The bill requires the commissioner of education to grant a waiver of this requirement, not to exceed one year, to a school district campus or charter school if the district board of trustees or the governing body of the charter school votes to request the waiver at certain annual meetings. The bill requires the board or the governing body, before voting to request a waiver, to list the waiver as a separate item for consideration on the meeting's agenda and to provide an opportunity for public comment regarding the waiver at the meeting.  The bill's provisions apply beginning with the 2014-2015 school year.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2013.