Bill > S2692

This bill establishes a School Meal Nutrition Standards Advisory Council within the board of elementary and secondary education, tasked with advising the commissioner on implementing nutrition recommendations from a previously established commission. The 11-member council will include representatives from various stakeholder organizations such as Project Bread, the School Nutrition Association of Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Healthy School Lunch Coalition, with six members appointed by the governor who are school nutrition operators or registered dieticians representing diverse school districts across Massachusetts. The council's key responsibilities include providing ongoing guidance on developing comprehensive nutrition standards aligned with current public health research, conducting feasibility assessments, and working with school food authorities to reduce implementation barriers related to procurement, facilities, and workforce training. Council members will serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for expenses, serve three-year terms, and will meet at least four times annually, with a chair elected to a three-year term. The bill aims to improve school lunch nutrition standards by creating a dedicated advisory body with broad representation and expertise.

Budget and Finance

Committee on Education (Joint)

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S2692