SENATE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

[Second Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 2365

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 27, 2022

      The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 2365 (2R).

      Under current law, the DOA, in consultation with the Department of Education (DOE), is required to develop pamphlets and other promotional materials for the State’s school meals programs and provide such promotional materials to every school district in the State.

      The bill requires the DOA, in consultation with the DOE, to adopt standards and guidelines to ensure the uniformity and accuracy of school meals-related information that is being presented by a school food authority as part of the educational campaigns conducted, and in the promotional materials distributed, under the bill.  The bill also requires the DOE to provide each school food authority with information concerning the two languages that are most commonly spoken in the homes of students in each school that the school food authority serves, and to periodically, at least every five years, verify the two languages that are most commonly spoken in the homes of students in each school served by each school food authority. The bill further specifies that a school food authority’s public education campaign and promotional materials are to comply with certain requirements outlined in the bill.

      The bill defines “school food authority” as the school, school district, or third-party food service vendor, as applicable.

      The committee amended the bill to require that public education campaign and promotional materials be provided in the two languages that are most commonly spoken in the homes of students in the public school that each school food authority serves.  The amendments also require that DOE provide each school food authority with information concerning the two languages that are most commonly spoken in the homes of students in each school that the school food authority serves, and to periodically verify the two languages that are most commonly spoken in the homes of students in each public school served by each school food authority.

      As reported by the committee, Assembly Bill No. 2365 (2R) is identical to Senate Bill No. 1928 (1R) which was also reported by the committee on this date.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      The Office of Legislative Services estimates that the bill will result in indeterminate annual State expenditure increases due to the creation of the new Division of Minority and Women Business Development and position of State Chief Disparity Officer.  The amount of the expenditure increases will depend on the salaries of the State Chief Disparity Officer and employees of the division, and costs to establish and operate the division office.