H-1437

   Amend Senate File 475, as amended, passed, and reprinted by the Senate, as follows:
   1.  Page 13, after line 16 by inserting: 
<DIVISION ___
SCHOOL MEALS —— PROHIBITIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

   Sec. ___.  NEW SECTION.  283A.11  Participation by students —— school prohibitions and responsibilities.
   1.  For purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise requires, “school” includes a school district, a school district attendance center, or an accredited nonpublic school.
   2.  A school shall provide notice, at least twice annually, to the parents or guardians of all enrolled students regarding the availability of applications for free or reduced-fee meals for categorically eligible students under the federal Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act of 1966, 42 U.S.C. §1751 et seq., and the federal Child Nutrition Act of 1966, 42 U.S.C. §1771 et seq. Notice may be provided via letter or electronic communication.
   3.  If a student owes money for five or more meals, a school principal, assistant principal, or designated meal program staff person may contact the student’s parent or guardian to provide information regarding the application for free or reduced-fee meals pursuant to the federal Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act of 1966, 42 U.S.C. §1751 et seq., and the federal Child Nutrition Act of 1966, 42 U.S.C. §1771 et seq.; or provide information on other options or assistance available.
   4.  a.  A school is prohibited from engaging in any of the following acts:
   (1)  Publicly identifying or stigmatizing a student who cannot pay for a meal or who owes a meal debt, including but not limited to requiring such a student to consume the meal at a table set aside for such purpose.
   (2)  Requiring a student who cannot pay for a meal or who owes a meal debt to do chores or other work to pay for meals, unless chores or other work is required of all students regardless of a meal debt. However, a student may volunteer to perform chores or other work at the school.
   b.  A school shall direct communications about a student’s meal debt to a parent or guardian and not to the student. This paragraph does not prohibit a school from sending a letter home with a student addressed to the student’s parent or guardian, or from contacting the parent or guardian via phone or other electronic means.
   5.  The department of education shall, in consultation with schools, develop and establish best practices, guidance, and policies to assist schools to reach the goal of ensuring that all students have access to nutritionally adequate meals, as defined in section 283A.1, at school.>
   2.  By renumbering as necessary.

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HINSON of Linn

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RUNNING-MARQUARDT of Linn