Bill Text: NJ S2849 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Directs NJ Department of Agriculture to request necessary waivers from US Department of Agriculture to provide food and meals during school closures due to COVID-19 public health emergency.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2020-11-05 - Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Agriculture Committee [S2849 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2020-S2849-Introduced.html

SENATE, No. 2849

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED AUGUST 25, 2020

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  M. TERESA RUIZ

District 29 (Essex)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Directs NJ Department of Agriculture to request necessary waivers from US Department of Agriculture to provide food and meals during school closures due to COVID-19 public health emergency.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  


An Act concerning certain school food and meal programs administered by the United States Department of Agriculture and supplementing P.L.2018, c.28 (C.18A:33-24 et seq.).

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    a.  Due to the public health-related school closures during the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Department of Agriculture shall request from the United States Department of Agriculture the following waivers to authorize participating schools or other providers to:

     (1)   extend the implementation of the Summer Food Service Program throughout the calendar year;

     (2)   provide emergency food, non-congregate feeding services, and grab-and-go meals with no time restrictions under the Summer Food Service Program, the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program, or any other child and adult community food programs administered by the United States Department of Agriculture; and

     (3)   offer food, meals, and other services under the Summer Food Service Program and the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program on the grounds of a school, notwithstanding any restrictions otherwise imposed on providing those programs and services on school grounds.

     b.    A school that does not provide services pursuant to the programs listed in subsection a. of this section on the effective date of P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) may request from the Department of Agriculture the necessary waiver to become a participating school.  A participating school may coordinate with the school district to use the distribution sites and methods established pursuant to P.L.2020, c.6 (C.18A:33-27.2 et seq.). 

     c.     As used in this section, "participating school" means a school that provides food and meals through the Summer Food Service Program or the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program, or any other child and adult community food programs administered by the United States Department of Agriculture.

 

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

    

     This bill directs the Department of Agriculture, due to the public health-related school closures during the COVID-19 public health emergency, to request from the United States Department of Agriculture the necessary waivers to authorize participating schools or providers to:

     1)    extend the implementation of the Summer Food Service Program throughout the calendar year;

     2)    provide emergency food, non-congregate feeding services, and grab-and-go meals with no time restrictions under the Summer Food Service Program, the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program, or any other child and adult community food programs administered by the United States Department of Agriculture; and

     3)    offer food, meals or other services through any of those programs on the grounds of a school, notwithstanding any restrictions otherwise imposed on providing the programs and services on school grounds.

     The bill defines "participating school" as a school that provides food and meals through the Summer Food Service Program, the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program, or any other child and adult community food programs administered by the United States Department of Agriculture.

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