Bill > HB0440

This bill aims to improve school meal programs and recess policies in Utah public schools, with changes taking effect on July 1, 2026. It mandates that schools participating in the National School Lunch Program, which provides federal funding for free or reduced-price meals to eligible students, must establish a "share table program" where students can return unopened, uneaten food for redistribution. Additionally, school community councils and charter school governing bodies will be required to hold annual school lunch planning meetings to discuss health and wellness policies, review survey results from parents, and propose plans for school lunch and recess times, including how much time students will have to eat and whether recess will be before or after lunch. These meetings must be open to the public with opportunities for public comment, and parents will be surveyed beforehand for their input. Furthermore, elementary schools will be prohibited from withholding recess, physical education, or other physical activities as punishment for poor behavior, incomplete classwork, or for remediation purposes, and they cannot reduce daily recess time to meet other school goals, with limited exceptions for students with specific educational plans, safety concerns, or misbehavior during recess itself.