HF 3472

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 02/29/2024 03:44pm

A bill for an act
relating to education finance; authorizing free school milk during the lunch meal
for students who bring a lunch from home on that day; appropriating money;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 124D.118; Laws 2023, chapter 55,
article 9, section 18, subdivision 4.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 124D.118, is amended to read:

124D.118 SCHOOL MILK PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.

Legislative findings.

new text begin (a) new text end The legislature finds that for best health and
well-being, school children in the state should receive at least one serving of milk each day.

new text begin (b) new text end The new text begin kindergarten new text end school milk program deleted text begin established in this section is to provide districts deleted text end new text begin
provides schools new text end in the state with added resources so that all kindergarten students in public
and nonpublic schools may have access to wholesome milk on a daily basis.

new text begin (c) The school lunch milk program provides schools with resources so that students in
public and nonpublic schools may have access to wholesome milk on any day that the
student chooses to bring a lunch from home and does not otherwise participate in the school
lunch program during that day.
new text end

Subd. 2.

deleted text begin Establishment deleted text end new text begin Kindergarten milk program new text end ; school participation.

Each
district in the state is encouraged to participate in the state-supported school milk program
for kindergartners. Participating districts must provide one serving of milk on each school
day to each kindergarten student attending a public or nonpublic school in the district. No
student is required to accept the milk that is provided by the district. The program must be
promoted and operated under the direction of the commissioner or the commissioner's
designee.

Subd. 3.

Program guidelines; duties of the commissioner.

(a) The commissioner shall:

(1) encourage all districts to participate in the school milk program for kindergartners;

(2) prepare program guidelines, not subject to chapter 14 until July 1, 1998, which will
effectively and efficiently distribute appropriated and donated money to participating
districts; and

(3) seek donations and matching funds from appropriate private and public sources.

(b) Program guidelines may provide for disbursement to districts through a mechanism
of prepayments or by reimbursement for approved program expenses.

new text begin (c) The commissioner may establish program guidelines for school lunch milk served
in place of a school lunch by a participant in the national school lunch program under section
124D.111.
new text end

Subd. 4.

Reimbursement.

new text begin (a) new text end In accordance with program guidelines, the commissioner
shall reimburse each participating public or nonpublic school 20 cents for each half-pint of
milk that is served to kindergarten students and is not part of a school lunch or breakfast
reimbursed under section 124D.111 or 124D.1158.

new text begin (b) The commissioner shall reimburse each public or nonpublic school participating in
the free meals program for each half-pint of milk served to a student who brings a meal
from home on that day and forgoes a school lunch provided at no cost on that day. The
reimbursement rate for each half-pint equals the greater of 50 cents or the special school
milk rate established by the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition
Services division for that school year.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for fiscal year 2025 and later.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Laws 2023, chapter 55, article 9, section 18, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

deleted text begin Kindergarten deleted text end new text begin School new text end milk.

For kindergarten milk new text begin and school lunch milk new text end aid
under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.118:

	$	659,000	.....	2024
	$	deleted text begin 659,000 deleted text end new text begin ....... new text end	.....	2025