HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2448

As Passed House:

February 14, 2002

Title:  An act relating to authorizing access to school meal programs and kitchen facilities.

Brief Description:  Authorizing access to school meal programs and kitchen facilities.

Sponsors:  By Representatives Quall, Talcott, Haigh and Cox.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Education:  1/31/02, 2/5/02 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 2/14/02, 97-0.

Brief Summary of Bill

$Revises the law that permits school districts to operate lunchrooms for students and employees to permit the districts to operate meal programs in school buildings and to serve volunteers and organizations meeting in those buildings as well as students and school employees.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass. Signed by 11 members: Representatives Quall, Chair; Haigh, Vice Chair; Talcott, Ranking Minority Member; Anderson, Cox, McDermott, Rockefeller, Santos, Schindler, Schmidt and Upthegrove.

Staff:  Susan Morrissey (786‑7111).

Background:

Under current law, school districts may establish, equip, and operate lunchrooms in school buildings for students and school employees, and for school and employee functions.  Since the adoption of the law, the function of school meal programs has expanded to include breakfasts for students, meals for educational organizations meeting in school facilities, participation in a variety of governmentally sponsored nutrition programs for children, and other functions hosted by school districts.  Auditors have questioned whether current law permits school districts to use their lunchrooms for these expanded activities.

Summary of Bill:

School districts may establish, equip, and operate meal programs in school buildings.  The programs may be provided for students; school employees; volunteers; public agencies; political subdivisions or associations that serve public entities while using school facilities; other state, local or federal child nutrition programs; and school or employee functions.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  School meal programs have changed substantially since the Legislature first permitted schools to have lunchrooms in 1925.  Many schools now provide breakfasts for children, meals for school volunteers, and coffee and refreshments for school and community organizations meeting on school grounds.  The law has not changed to meet these expanded activities.  The state auditor has questioned the expanded activities of school meal programs given the narrow language of the 1925 law.  This legislation permits schools to lawfully provide the meal services to students, volunteers, and school organizations that most districts already provide.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Quall, prime sponsor; Doug Nelson, Public School Employees of Washington; Sean Lewis, North Thurston School District; Louinda Heron, Washington School Food Service Association; and Dan Steele, Washington State School Directors= Association.