SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 2167

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 5, 2025

      The Senate Education Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 2167.

      As amended, this bill requires all public and nonpublic schools participating in the National School Lunch Program and the federal School Breakfast Program to comply with the most stringent nutrition standards for competitive foods sold in schools adopted by the United States Department of Agriculture as published in Volume 81, Number 146 of the Federal Register dated July 26, 2016, and Volume 89, Number 80 of the Federal Register dated April 25, 2024, as well as the National School Lunch Program and federal School Breakfast Program adopted by the United States Department of Agriculture, as published in Volume 77, Number 17 of the Federal Register dated January 26, 2012 and in Volume 89, Number 80 of the Federal Register dated April 25, 2024, or any other more stringent nutrition standards adopted at the federal level in the future.

      The amended bill specifies that all reimbursable meals under the National School Lunch Program and the federal School Breakfast Program are to comply with the most stringent nutrition standards for the National School Lunch Program and federal School Breakfast Program adopted by the United States Department of Agriculture or any other more stringent nutrition standards adopted at the federal level in the future.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2024-2025 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to:

· provide that a nonpublic school participating in the National School Lunch Program and the federal School Breakfast program is to comply with the provisions of the bill;

· specify that the provisions of the bill also apply to competitive foods sold in schools;

· clarify that schools are to comply with any other more stringent federal nutrition standards adopted in the future; and

· update the effective date.