BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 462

By: Lucio

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools across the state, public school districts faced the challenge of continuing to provide meals to students in need. Because their bus fleets were otherwise sitting idle, many districts used their existing transportation systems and personnel to deliver meals and other academic materials to central locations near where the students live. Unfortunately, because these routes were not used to transport students to school, districts were forced to pay for this service out of their regular operating funds. Without funding for this critical service during disasters like the pandemic, children who rely on school meals will go hungry when they need food the most. S.B. 462 supports these crucial meal deliveries in times of need by permitting a district's state funding to be used for those transportation costs.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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. 462 amends the Education Code to require reimbursement of a public school district located in an area that is wholly or partly the subject of a disaster declaration by the governor or by the U.S. president, for the duration of the declared disaster and on a per-mile basis, for the cost of transporting a meal or instructional materials to a student's residence or to another location designated by the district for pick up by the student. Transporting a meal or instructional materials in this manner is a transportation service eligible for transportation allotment funds under the foundation school program.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.