House Bill 993
By: Representatives Barnes of the 86th, McQueen of the 61st, Drenner of the 85th, Taylor of
the 92nd, Lupton of the 83rd, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Part 15 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to miscellaneous provisions under the "Quality Basic Education Act,"
so as to require that public schools schedule a lunch period for each class that includes not
less than 30 consecutive minutes of seated time beginning from the time that a majority of
the class has been seated after receiving their meals; to require local boards of education or
other public school governing bodies to establish certain policies; to require the State Board
of Education to promulgate rules and regulations; to authorize the State Board of Education
to provide grants; to provide a definition; to provide for related matters; to provide a short
title; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Nourish to Flourish Act."
SECTION 2.
Part 15 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to miscellaneous provisions under the "Quality Basic Education Act," is amended
by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
<ins>"20-2-323.1.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term 'seated time' means the time that a student has
to eat his or her meal during the lunch period, excluding time spent waiting in line to
receive such meal.
(b) Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, each public school shall schedule a daily
lunch period for each class that includes not less than 30 consecutive minutes of seated
time beginning from the time that a majority of the class has been seated after receiving
their meals.
(c) Each local board of education or other public school governing body shall establish a
written policy requiring a daily lunch period for each class that includes not less than 30
consecutive minutes of seated time beginning from the time that a majority of the class has
been seated after receiving their meals. Such policies shall include, but shall not be limited
to, the following matters to ensure that all students have sufficient time to eat lunch during
the lunch period:
(1) Scheduling strategies for lunch periods;
(2) Staffing patterns for school lunch personnel; and
(3) Strategies and methods to minimize the time students spend waiting in line to receive
meals.
(d) The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations which provide
that each local school system or other public school shall submit an annual report to the
Department of Education that shall include:
(1) The policy established pursuant to subsection (c) of this Code section; and
(2) The lunch period schedule for each public school.
</ins>
<ins>(e) Subject to appropriations, the State Board of Education shall be authorized to provide
grants to local school systems or other public schools for the purpose of implementing the
provisions of this Code section if a local school system or other public school requires
funding in excess of the funding provided for in Code Section 20-2-187 in order to
implement the provisions of this Code section."
</ins> SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.