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Assembly Bill A3923

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Relates to enacting the making equitable and alternative lunches (MEAL) act

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Assembly Committee

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2023-A3923 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Assembly Education
Law Section:
Education Law
Laws Affected:
Add §915-a, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2021-2022: A10102
2025-2026: A1087

2023-A3923 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Enacts the "making equitable and alternative lunches (MEAL) act"; requires a public school to offer a plant-based food option, a halal food option and a kosher food option as an alternative to every meal or snack offered in food service to any student who chooses such alternative meal or snack as an option.

2023-A3923 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3923
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 8, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. JACKSON -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to enacting  the  "making
   equitable and alternative lunches (MEAL) act"
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 the "making equitable and alternative lunches (MEAL) act".
   §  2.  The  education  law is amended by adding a new section 915-a to
 read as follows:
   § 915-A. ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL MEAL AND SNACK OPTIONS. 1. AS USED IN THIS
 SECTION:
   (A) "PLANT-BASED FOOD OPTION" MEANS FOOD OR BEVERAGES THAT ARE FREE OF
 ANIMAL PRODUCTS AND, AS RELATES TO THE  "PROTEIN"  PORTION  OF  A  MEAL,
 RECOGNIZED  BY  THE  UNITED  STATES  DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AS A MEAT
 ALTERNATE FOR PURPOSES OF THE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM.
   (B) "ANIMAL PRODUCT" MEANS MEAT, POULTRY, SEAFOOD, DAIRY, EGGS, HONEY,
 AND ANY DERIVATIVE THEREOF.
   2. EVERY PUBLIC SCHOOL SHALL OFFER A PLANT-BASED FOOD OPTION, A  HALAL
 FOOD  OPTION AND A KOSHER FOOD OPTION AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO EVERY MEAL OR
 SNACK OFFERED IN FOOD SERVICE TO ANY STUDENT WHO CHOOSES  SUCH  ALTERNA-
 TIVE  MEAL  OR  SNACK AS AN OPTION PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS
 SECTION.
   3. A STUDENT OR PERSON IN PARENTAL RELATION TO THE STUDENT SHALL  HAVE
 THE  OPTION  TO SELECT AN ALTERNATIVE MEAL OR SNACK OPTION AT THE BEGIN-
 NING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND TWO ADDITIONAL TIMES DURING THE SCHOOL  YEAR
 AS DETERMINED BY SUCH PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT.
   4.  THE  ALTERNATIVE  FOOD  OPTIONS DESCRIBED IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE
 OFFERED AT NO ADDITIONAL COST  TO  THE  STUDENT  BEYOND  WHAT  WOULD  BE
 CHARGED FOR A COMPARABLE NON-ALTERNATIVE FOOD OPTION.
   §  3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to public
 school food service beginning with the school year, as  defined  in  the
 education law, beginning one year after it shall have become a law.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

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