Bill Text: NJ AR169 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Urges President and Congress to enact "CARE for Kids Act of 2019."

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-0)

Status: (Passed) 2020-08-27 - Filed with Secretary of State [AR169 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2020-AR169-Amended.html

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[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION No. 169

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED JUNE 25, 2020

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman  VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE

District 37 (Bergen)

Assemblywoman  MILA M. JASEY

District 27 (Essex and Morris)

Assemblywoman  ANNETTE QUIJANO

District 20 (Union)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Urges President and Congress to enact "CARE for Kids Act of 2019."

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Assembly Education Committee on August 10, 2020, with amendments.

  

An Assembly Resolution urging the President and Congress of the United States to enact the "CARE for Kids Act of 2019."

 

Whereas, School meals are critical to children's health and well-being and ¹[ensures] ensure¹ that children have the nutrition they need to effectively learn throughout the school day; and

Whereas, Research shows that receiving free school meals reduces food insecurity, obesity rates, and poor health among children; and

Whereas, The federal School Breakfast Program (SBP) and the federal National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provide nutritionally balanced, free school meals to millions of American children each school day; and

Whereas, Under ¹the¹ SBP and NSLP, children may be determined categorically eligible for free school meals through participation in certain federal assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or based on the child's status as a homeless, migrant, runaway, or foster child; and

Whereas, Under ¹the¹ SBP and NSLP, children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for free school meals; and

Whereas, Many children are excluded from categorical eligibility to receive free school meals because they have moved out of the foster care system and are in the care of grandparents or other relatives who have adopted them or have become their legal guardians; and

Whereas, More than 7.8 million children under the age of 18 live in homes where the householders are grandparents or relatives other ¹than¹ their parents; and

Whereas, The federal "Caregivers Access and Responsible Expansion (CARE) for Kids Act of 2019," introduced by United States Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), provides automatic eligibility for free school meals to children being raised by a relative who receives adoption or guardianship assistance; to children being raised by grandparents or other relatives due to placement by a state or tribal welfare agency; and to children living in "grandfamily" housing or receiving housing assistance under the "Native American Housing and Self-Determination Act of 1996"; and

Whereas, It is altogether fitting and proper to urge the President and Congress of the United States to enact the "CARE for Kids Act of 2019," to automatically provide free school meals to American children who are being raised by grandparents or relatives other than their parents; now, therefore,

 

     Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

     1.    This House urges the President and Congress of the United States to enact the "CARE for Kids Act of 2019," to provide automatic eligibility for free school meals to American children who are being raised by grandparents or relatives other than their parents.

 

     2.    Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the President of the United States, Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, to the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, and to each member of the United States Congress elected from this State.