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REFERENCE TITLE: lunch debt; grant program; schools |
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State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-sixth Legislature First Regular Session 2023
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HB 2352 |
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Introduced by Representatives Contreras P: Aguilar, Austin, Cano, Gutierrez, Ortiz, Sandoval, Schwiebert, Seaman, Stahl Hamilton, Sun, Terech, Travers
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An Act
amending title 15, chapter 2, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-242.01; appropriating monies; relating to the department of education.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 15, chapter 2, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-242.01, to read:
15-242.01. No lunch debt grant program; fund; exemption; definition
A. The no lunch debt grant program is established to relieve public school students of lunch debt. The department of education shall administer the program and adopt rules to implement this section, including grant application requirements and procedures for electronic submission of grant applications.
B. Each fiscal quarter, a school district or charter school that participates in the national school lunch program (42 United States Code sections 1751 through 1793) may apply to the department of education for a grant that does not exceed the aggregate amount of student lunch debt that has accrued at the time of the grant application.
C. A school district or charter school shall credit grant monies received pursuant to this section to the meal account of each student who incurred the lunch debt that supports the school district's or charter school's grant application. Discharged lunch debt does not constitute taxable income to the parent of a student whose meal account is credited pursuant to this subsection.
D. Notwithstanding section 15-1154, a school district is not required to deposit grant monies received pursuant to this section in the school district's school meal program fund.
E. The no lunch debt fund is established consisting of monies appropriated by the legislature and grants, gifts, devises and donations from any public or private source. The department of education shall administer the fund. The department may accept and spend federal monies and private grants, gifts, contributions and devises to assist in carrying out the purposes of this section. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated and exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations.
F. For the purposes of this section, "lunch debt" means any monies that are:
1. Charged to a student in connection with the sale of school lunches, including fees charged pursuant to section 15-1154.
2. Overdue in accordance with the school district's or charter school's regular billing practices.
Sec. 2. Appropriation; no lunch debt fund; exemption
A. The sum of $2,000,000 is appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2023-2024 to the no lunch debt fund established by section 15-242.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, as added by this act.
B. The appropriation made in subsection A of this section is exempt from the provisions of section 35-190, Arizona Revised Statutes, relating to lapsing of appropriations.