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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to an award program to recognize school nutrition program |
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excellence. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 12, Agriculture Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 12.00251 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 12.00251. HUNGER FREE SCHOOLS AWARD PROGRAM. |
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(a) Subject to the availability of funds, the department by |
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rule shall establish an award program under which schools may |
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receive recognition from the department for excellence in providing |
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federally funded meals to students during the school year and |
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during the summer. The department shall create a logo for the award |
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program and publish an application form for the award program on the |
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department's Internet website. |
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(b) The department by rule shall establish eligibility |
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criteria for schools to qualify for consideration of an award under |
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this section. The criteria must include consideration of: |
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(1) whether the school participates in: |
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(A) the national school breakfast program |
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provided by the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. Section |
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1773); |
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(B) the national school lunch program of free or |
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reduced-price lunches; |
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(C) the Child and Adult Care Food Program; and |
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(D) the summer food service program under 42 |
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U.S.C. Section 1761; |
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(2) for each federal meal program offered by the |
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school, the average daily participation rates of students in the |
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school who are educationally disadvantaged, as defined by Section |
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5.001, Education Code; |
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(3) whether the school uses alternative or innovative |
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school food service models for school meal programs; |
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(4) whether the school makes a school meal program |
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available to all students at no charge through use of the federal |
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Community Eligibility Provision, Provision 2 option under 7 C.F.R. |
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Section 245, or another mechanism; and |
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(5) any other criteria the department determines is |
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appropriate. |
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(c) Between November 1 and December 31 of each year, the |
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department shall issue 25 awards under this section. Each award |
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shall be based on the school's performance on the eligibility |
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criteria established under Subsection (b) during the preceding |
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year. |
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(d) The commissioner shall appoint a selection committee |
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composed of no fewer than five representatives of relevant |
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stakeholder groups to review all eligible applicants and select |
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schools to receive awards of no more than $2,000 under this section. |
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(e) Any awards made by the department for the award program |
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established under this section shall be deposited into the food |
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service accounts of the schools selected to receive an award under |
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this section. A school may use money received under this section |
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only to invest in the school's nutrition programs, purchase new |
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food-service equipment, or reward the school's nutrition staff. |
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(f) A school that has an excessive unassigned general fund |
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balance or that is not in compliance with state or federal |
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regulations is not eligible to receive an award under this section. |
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(g) The department may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and |
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donations from any public or private source to implement this |
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subchapter. |
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(h) The department may adopt rules as necessary to |
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administer this section. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2016. |