HB993: HB993 Nourish to Flourish Act; enact

26 LC 61 0323 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 O fficial Code of Georgia1 Annotated, relating to miscellaneous provisions under the "Qual ity Basic Education Act,"2 so as to require that public schools schedule a lunch period for each class that includes not3 less than 30 consecutive minutes of seated time beginning from the time that a majority of4 the class has been seated after receiving their meals; to require local boards of education or5 other public school governing bodies to establish certain policies; to require the State Board6 of Education to promulgate rules and regulations; to authorize the State Board of Education7 to provide grants; to provide a definition; to provide for related matters; to provide a short8 title; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:10 SECTION 1.11 This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Nourish to Flourish Act."12 H. B. 993 - 1 - 26 LC 61 0323 SECTION 2.13 Part 15 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official C ode of Georgia Annotated,14 relating to miscellaneous provisions under the "Quality Basic Education Act," is amended15 by adding a new Code section to read as follows:16 "20-2-323.1.17 (a) As used in this Code section, the term 'seated time' means the time that a student has18 to eat his or her meal during the lunch period, excluding time spent waiting in line to19 receive such meal.20 (b) Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, each public school shall schedule a daily21 lunch period for each class that includes not less than 30 cons ecutive minutes of seated22 time beginning from the time that a majority of the class has b een seated after receiving23 their meals.24 (c) Each local board of education or other public school governing body shall establish a25 written policy requiring a daily lunch period for each class that includes not less than 3026 consecutive minutes of seated time beginning from the time that a majority of the class has27 been seated after receiving their meals. Such policies shall include, but shall not be limited28 to, the following matters to ensure that all students have sufficient time to eat lunch during29 the lunch period:30 (1) Scheduling strategies for lunch periods;31 (2) Staffing patterns for school lunch personnel; and32 (3) Strategies and methods to minimize the time students spend waiting in line to receive33 meals.34 (d) The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules and re gulations which provide35 that each local school system or other public school shall subm it an annual report to the36 Department of Education that shall include:37 (1) The policy established pursuant to subsection (c) of this Code section; and38 (2) The lunch period schedule for each public school.39 H. B. 993 - 2 - 26 LC 61 0323 (e) Subject to appropriations, the State Board of Education shall be authorized to provide40 grants to local school systems or other public schools for the purpose of implementing the41 provisions of this Code section if a local school system or oth er public school requires42 funding in excess of the funding provided for in Code Section 2 0-2-187 in order to43 implement the provisions of this Code section."44 SECTION 3.45 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.46 H. B. 993 - 3 -