Bill > S4602

This bill, the "No Shame at School Act of 2022," amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to prohibit the stigmatization of children who are unable to pay for school meals. Key provisions include making it mandatory for local educational agencies to directly certify children from households with unpaid meal fees for free or reduced-price meals, requiring retroactive reimbursement of previously submitted meal claims, and prohibiting overt identification or segregation of these children, as well as limiting how schools can collect unpaid fees. The overall goal is to reduce the stigma associated with unpaid school meal fees and ensure all children can access school meals without shame or discrimination.