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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the adoption of a policy allowing a grace period after |
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the exhaustion of the balance of a meal card or account used by |
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students to purchase meals in public schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 33, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 33.908 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 33.908. GRACE PERIOD POLICY FOR EXHAUSTED OR |
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INSUFFICIENT MEAL CARD OR ACCOUNT BALANCE. A school district that |
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allows students to use a prepaid meal card or account to purchase |
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meals served at the school shall adopt a grace period policy |
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regarding the use of the cards or accounts. The policy: |
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(1) must allow a student whose meal card or account |
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balance is exhausted or insufficient to continue, for a period |
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determined by the district, to purchase meals by: |
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(A) accumulating a negative balance on the |
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student's card or account; or |
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(B) otherwise receiving an extension of credit |
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from the district; |
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(2) must require the district to notify the parent of |
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or person standing in parental relation to the student that the |
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student's meal card or account balance is exhausted; and |
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(3) may not permit the district to charge a fee or |
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interest in connection with meals purchased under Subdivision (1). |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |