TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey schools cannot refuse to serve students breakfast or lunch, no matter how delinquent their payment accounts are, without first notifying parents, according to a new law.
Gov. Chris Christie today signed a bill (A-1796) already passed by both the Senate and Assembly.
"This law will help ensure that a student is not suddenly denied a school breakfast or lunch because the district determines that the student's food bill is in arrears," said state Assemblyman Jason O'Donnell (D-Hudson), a co-sponor of the bill. "In order to put the student's best interests first, we need to take a compassionate, yet practical, approach when it comes this sensitive issue."
The law requires districts to give a student's parent or guardian notice when a student's account balance goes into deliquency. Parents must be given 10 school days to pay the amount due.