HF 3863

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 02/29/2024 03:47pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; requiring schools participating in the state school milk
program to provide daily milk to students in kindergarten through grade 12;
prohibiting fees for school milk; modifying the reimbursement rate for school
milk; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 124D.118.

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.

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.
The school milk program established in this section is to provide districts in the state with
added resources so that all deleted text begin kindergarten deleted text end students in new text begin kindergarten through grade 12 in new text end public
and nonpublic schools may have access to wholesome milk on a daily basis.

Subd. 2.

Establishment; school participation.

Each district in the state is encouraged
to participate in the state-supported school milk program deleted text begin for kindergartners deleted text end . Participating
districts must provide one serving of milk on each school day to each deleted text begin kindergarten deleted text end student
new text begin in kindergarten through grade 12 new text end 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.

new text begin Subd. 2a. new text end

new text begin No fees. new text end

new text begin A participating district that receives reimbursement under this section
must make reimbursable milk available without charge and must not deny reimbursable
milk to any participating student, whether or not that student has an outstanding balance in
the student's meals account attributable to a la carte purchases or for any other reason.
new text end

Subd. 3.

Program guidelines; duties of the commissioner.

(a) The commissioner shall:

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

(2) prepare program guidelines deleted text begin , not subject to chapter 14 until July 1, 1998, deleted text end 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.

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 deleted text begin 20 deleted text end new text begin ... new text end cents for each half-pint
of milk that is served to deleted text begin kindergarten deleted text end students new text begin in kindergarten through grade 12 new text end and is not
part of a school lunch or breakfast reimbursed under section 124D.111 or 124D.1158.

new text begin (b) The reimbursement under this section is limited to one-half pint of milk per student
each day.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

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

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2025 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
education for additional school milk program reimbursement aid under Minnesota Statutes,
section 124D.118.
new text end