HB 440: School Lunch Amendments - Utah

Substitute #1 → Substitute #2 · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends Utah's school meal and community council laws to require Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to establish 'share table programs' where students can return uneaten food for redistribution. It also mandates that school community councils and charter trust land councils hold annual public meetings to plan lunch and recess schedules, aiming to ensure students get at least 20 minutes of seated eating time. Additionally, the bill clarifies that elementary schools cannot withhold recess or physical education as punishment, with specific exceptions for safety or medical needs.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of school community councils and charter trust land councils by adding new duties related to lunch planning and recess scheduling, and it introduces a new requirement for LEAs to implement food redistribution systems.

REQUIREMENT

Requires all LEAs to establish a 'share table program' allowing students to return uneaten food for redistribution to peers.

Mandates that school community councils and charter trust land councils hold annual public lunch planning meetings to review recess schedules and eating times.

Sets a target goal for elementary schools to provide a minimum of 20 minutes of seated eating time and schedules lunch recess immediately prior to the lunch period.

Prohibits elementary schools from withholding recess, physical education, or other physical activity as punishment for behavior or incomplete work.

Requires LEAs to send surveys to parents at least one week before lunch planning meetings to collect input on lunch and recess plans.

DEFINITION

Added definitions for 'Share table program' and 'School lunch target goal' to clarify new operational requirements.

FISCAL

Added a provision allowing LEAs to ask parents to cover the remaining cost of subsidized lunches if state and federal appropriations are insufficient.

Amended 2/23/2026 13:02:679 → Substitute #1 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends Utah laws regarding school meals, community councils, and recess. It mandates that schools establish 'share table' programs to redistribute uneaten food, requires councils to hold annual lunch planning meetings, and adds restrictions on withholding recess as punishment. The bill also clarifies definitions and election procedures for school councils.

Scope change

The bill applies to all local education agencies (districts) and charter schools in Utah, specifically targeting elementary schools for recess rules and all schools for meal and council requirements.

REQUIREMENT

Requires every school to establish a 'share table' program where students can return uneaten food for redistribution to others.

Mandates that school community councils and charter trust land councils hold an annual school lunch planning meeting to review wellness policies and propose lunch/recess schedules.

Prohibits elementary schools from withholding recess, physical education, or other physical activity as punishment for behavior or incomplete work.

Requires school community councils to include a majority of parent members who are not educators employed by the school.

DEFINITION

Added specific definitions for 'share table program', 'digital citizenship', and 'safety principles' within the relevant statutes.

TECHNICAL

Clarified that the state board may ask parents to cover the remaining cost of subsidized lunches if state and federal funds are insufficient.

Amended 2/13/2026 10:02:680 → Amended 2/23/2026 13:02:679 · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to correct the Senate sponsor's name from 'LONG TITLE' to 'Keith Grover' and update the highlighted provisions to reflect these changes. The substantive policy text regarding school meals, community councils, and recess remains identical to the previous version.

TECHNICAL

Corrected the Senate Sponsor name from 'LONG TITLE' to 'Keith Grover' in the header and highlighted provisions.

Updated the 'Highlighted Provisions' list to accurately describe the bill's content, adding a reporting requirement and clarifying that charter schools use a 'wellness committee or a charter trust land council' for lunch planning meetings.

Amended Excerpts 2/23/2026 13:02:679 → Amended 2/13/2026 10:02:680 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill replaces a previous House amendment with a new version sponsored by Tiara Auxier that fundamentally shifts the focus from recess restrictions to school lunch programs and community councils. The new text establishes a mandatory 'share table program' to redistribute uneaten food, requires free lunches for eligible students, and creates new definitions for terms like 'share table program' and 'digital citizenship'. It also outlines specific reimbursement rules for school meal costs and prohibits stigmatizing students who cannot pay for meals.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from minor edits regarding recess and meeting assurances to a comprehensive overhaul of school lunch policies and community council definitions.

REQUIREMENT

Mandates that every school establish a 'share table program' where students can return uneaten food for redistribution.

Removed previous text regarding reducing recess minutes for lunch planning and specific assurance requirements for school meetings.

DEFINITION

Introduces new definitions for 'share table program', 'eligible student', 'digital citizenship', and 'safety principles'.

FISCAL

Requires the State Board of Education to reimburse Local Education Agencies for reimbursable lunches and accept private donations for the meal program.

ENFORCEMENT

Prohibits schools from publicly identifying students unable to pay for meals or requiring chores as payment unless applied equally to all students.

Amended Excerpts 2/13/2026 10:02:680 → Amended Excerpts 2/23/2026 13:02:679 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to streamline the process for schools to report on lunch and recess plans, shifting the reporting requirement from the school community council to the principal. Additionally, the bill expanded the reasons a school can reduce recess time to include incomplete classwork and remediation purposes, while clarifying that restrictions must align with state health and wellness policies.

Scope change

The scope of who is responsible for submitting plans changed from the school community council to the school principal, and the criteria for reducing recess time were broadened.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the entity required to submit written assurances regarding lunch and recess plans from the school community council to the school principal.

Revised the content of the written assurance to include confirmation of the meeting and details of the proposed plan rather than just the plan itself.

Added 'incomplete classwork' and 'remediation purposes' as valid reasons for reducing a student's recess time.

DEFINITION

Clarified that reductions in recess time must be made to meet the state board's model policy on health and wellness.

Introduced → Amended Excerpts 2/13/2026 10:02:680 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to shift the 'school lunch target goal' from applying to all K-6 schools specifically to elementary schools (K-5), while removing the requirement for a 20-minute seated eating time and the mandate to schedule lunch recess immediately before lunch. The amendment also replaces the requirement for schools to send surveys to parents with a requirement for principals to submit written assurances to the state board, and it adds a new exception allowing recess to be withheld if a student engages in poor behavior during that time.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed to apply the specific lunch target goal requirements only to elementary schools (grades K-5) rather than including middle school grades (6-8), and the mandatory 20-minute seated lunch requirement was removed.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the mandatory requirement for schools to provide a minimum of 20 minutes of seated eating time and to schedule lunch recess immediately prior to the lunch period.

Narrowed the application of the 'school lunch target goal' from K-6 schools to only elementary schools (K-5).

Changed the reporting mechanism from sending surveys to parents to requiring principals to submit signed, written assurances to the state board.

Added an exception allowing educators to withhold recess as punishment for poor behavior during recess or physical education class.

Modified the meeting agenda to include reviewing the state board's model policy on health and wellness instead of specific research on recess and eating time.

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