School meals: free or reduced-priced meals.

Existing law requires each school district and county superintendent of schools maintaining kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, to provide for each needy pupil one nutritionally adequate, free or reduced-price meal during each schoolday. Existing law requires the governing board of each school district and county superintendent to formulate a plan that, among other things, will ensure that children eligible to receive free or reduced priced meals and milk shall not be treated differently than other children. This bill would require the governing board of each school district and county superintendent of schools to include, as part of that plan, a provision to ensure that during meal times, children shall be able to receive a free or reduced-price meal at any serving line that the school food services program operates, manages, or from which the school food services program receives revenue. By imposing this additional duty on school districts, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.