AN ACT Relating to a hunger-free students' bill of rights; adding new sections to chapter 28A.235 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.235 RCW to read as follows:

(1)(a) Except as provided otherwise in subsection (2) of this section, each school that participates in the national school lunch program, the school breakfast program, or both, shall annually distribute and collect an application for all households of children in kindergarten through grade twelve to determine student eligibility for free or reduced-price meals. If a parent or guardian of a student needs assistance with application materials in a language other than English, the school shall offer appropriate assistance to the parent or guardian.

(b) If a student who, based on information available to the school, is likely eligible for free or reduced-price meals but has not submitted an application to determine eligibility, the school shall, in accordance with the authority granted under 7 C.F.R. Sec. 245.6(d), complete and submit the application for the student.

(2) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to a school that provides free meals to all students in a year in which the school does not collect applications to determine student eligibility for free or reduced-price meals.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.235 RCW to read as follows:

Local liaisons for homeless children and youths designated by districts in accordance with the federal McKinney-Vento homeless assistance act 42 U.S.C. Sec. 11431 et seq. must coordinate with the applicable school nutrition program to ensure that each homeless student has proper access to free school meals and that applicable accountability and reporting requirements are satisfied.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.235 RCW to read as follows:

(1)(a) Unless requested otherwise in writing by the student's parent or guardian, all schools shall provide a meal that qualifies for federal reimbursement as either a free or reduced-price lunch under the national school lunch program, or a free or reduced-price breakfast under the school breakfast program, to each student requesting a meal. The provision of the meal may not be conditioned on the student's ability to pay for the meal or for any amount owed for meals previously served to the student.

(b) No school may require a student to dispose of or otherwise surrender a served meal because of the student's inability to pay for the meal or meals previously served to the student.

(2) If a student has not paid for five or more previous meals, the school shall:

(a) Determine whether the student is categorically eligible for free meals;

(b) If no application has been submitted for the student to determine his or her eligibility for free or reduced-price meals, make no fewer than two attempts to contact the student's parent or guardian to have him or her submit an application; and

(c) Have a principal, assistant principal, or school counselor contact the parent or guardian for the purpose of: (i) Offering assistance with completing an application to determine the student's eligibility for free or reduced-price meals; (ii) determining whether there are any household issues that may prevent the student from having sufficient funds for school meals; and (iii) offering any appropriate assistance.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.235 RCW to read as follows:

(1) No school or district may:

(a) Publicly identify or stigmatize, or take any action that would likely publicly identify or stigmatize, a student who cannot pay for a school meal or for meals previously served to the student;

(b) Require a student who cannot pay for a school meal or for meals previously served to the student to perform chores or other actions in exchange for a meal or for the reduction or elimination of a school meal debt; or

(c) Require a parent or guardian to pay fees or costs from collection agencies hired by the school or district to collect amounts owed for meals previously served to the student.

(2) Communications from a school or district about amounts owed for meals previously served to the student may only be directed to the student's parent or guardian. Nothing in this subsection prohibits a school or district from sending a student home with a letter that is addressed to a parent or guardian.

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