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AB-1829 Schools: school meals: nutritional information.(2011-2012)

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AB1829:v98#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Assembly  April 24, 2012

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2011–2012 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 1829

Introduced  by  Assembly Member Bradford

February 22, 2012

An act to add Section 49591 to the Education Code, relating to school lunches. meals.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1829, as amended, Bradford. Schools: National School Lunch Program. school meals: nutritional information.
Existing law requires the State Department of Education to provide information and limited financial assistance to school districts and county superintendents of schools to encourage participation in the federal School Breakfast Program and to ensure that the nutrition levels of meals served to schoolage children pursuant to the National School Lunch Act be are of the highest quality and greatest nutritional value possible.
Existing law requires each school district and county superintendent of schools maintaining any kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, to provide for each needy pupil one nutritionally adequate free or reduced-price meal during each schoolday and defines a nutritionally adequate meal as a breakfast or lunch that qualifies for reimbursement under the federal child nutrition program regulations.
This bill would require a school district participating in the federal School Breakfast Program or the National School Lunch Program to disseminate specified information regarding the nutritional content of the reimbursable breakfasts or lunches served as part of the program these programs in a manner that permits parents and pupils to access the nutritional information while they access the daily school breakfast or lunch menu, commencing with the 2013–14 school year. The bill would specify that these requirements apply only to school districts that, as of January 1, 2013, regularly disseminate school menu information online or in printed form.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 (a) The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(1) There is an increase in the number of overweight children in California.
(2) Medical literature documents the severe, lifelong health consequences of diets high in fat and saturated fat as well as the health and economic consequences of being overweight or obese.
(3) The federal School Breakfast Program and the National School Lunch Program can play a critical role in addressing this health crisis.
(4) Parental involvement is essential to maximizing the obesity-prevention potential of the federal School Breakfast Program and the National School Lunch Program.
(b) Therefore, recognizing the availability of free and readily accessible nutritional information for entrees and other components served as part of the federal School Breakfast Program and the National School Lunch Program, it is the intent of the Legislature that parents be informed if their school district has adopted guidelines to provide parents with information about the nutritional content of meals served through the federal School Breakfast Program and the National School Lunch Program.

SEC. 2.

 Section 49591 is added to the Education Code, to read:

49591.
 (a) Commencing with the 2013–14 school year, a school district participating in the federal School Breakfast Program or the National School Lunch Program shall disseminate information regarding the nutritional content of the reimbursable breakfasts or lunches served as part of the program. these programs. This information shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following:
(1) The total number of calories in each meal.
(2) The total number of grams of saturated fat in each meal.
(3) The total number of grams of protein in each meal.
(4) The total number of carbohydrates in each meal.
(5) The total number of milligrams of sodium in each meal.
(b) A school district participating in the federal School Breakfast Program or the National School Lunch Program shall present the information described in subdivision (a) in a manner that permits parents and pupils to access the nutritional information while they access the daily school breakfast or lunch menu.
(c) This section shall apply only to school districts that, as of January 1, 2013, regularly disseminate school menu information online or in printed form.