ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 3961

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MAY 8, 2025

      The Assembly Education Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 3961 (1R).

      As amended, this bill requires public and certain nonpublic schools to offer a no-fee option to parents for making school lunch payments and requires payment processing platforms used by certain schools to provide users with information on user fees.

      Under the amended bill, any contract entered into on or after the bill’s effective date by a board of education, board of trustees, or a nonpublic school with a third party vendor for the development or use of a payment processing platform is to require the payment processing platform to provide users with clear information on:

· all fees charged for use of the platform;

· the average annual fees incurred by a user of the platform; and

· the availability of an alternative no-fee means to make direct payments through the board of education, board of trustees, or the nonpublic school.   

The amended bill requires a public school to offer students, parents, and guardians a no-fee option for making direct payments for school meals, field trips, activity fees, or other goods or services provided by or distributed through the public school, or any school, group, or club thereof.  The option is to be provided at a time and place that is convenient for student, parent, and guardian use.   

     Under the amended bill, a nonpublic school participating in a federally assisted meal program that provides low-cost or free meals to students is required to offer students, parents, and guardians a no-fee option for making direct payments for school meals.  The option is to be provided at a time and place that is convenient for student, parent, and guardian use. 

     Under the amended bill, any communication from the lead administrator of a nonpublic school requesting payment for school meals is to include information on:

· the direct payment option required under the bill; and

· the fees associated with use of any payment processing platform that may be used to make the payment.

     Finally, the amended bill provides that nothing in the bill is to be construed to prohibit the payment of tuition and tuition-related fees to a nonpublic school.

      As amended and reported by the committee, Senate Bill No. 3961 (1R) is identical to Assembly Bill No. 5263, which also was amended and reported by the committee on this same date.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to:

· modify when a nonpublic school is required to offer a no-fee option for making direct payments under the provisions of the bill to require that nonpublic schools participating in a federally assisted meal program that provides low-cost or free meals to students are to offer students, parents, and guardians a no-fee option for making direct payments for the school meals;

· require that this option be provided at a time and place that is convenient for student, parent, and guardian use;

· require any communication from the lead administrator of a public school requesting payment for school meals to include certain information; and

· provide that nothing in the bill is to be construed to prohibit the payment of tuition and tuition-related fees to nonpublic schools.