Requires public schools in any city with a population over one million that have students practicing a religious faith with specific dietary restrictions to offer food options which meet such dietary restrictions upon the students' request.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A1497
SPONSOR: Weprin TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring public
schools in any city with a population over one million to offer food
options during lunch
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This legislation will require a public school, in any city that has over
one million inhabitants, to offer food options, upon request, to any
students practicing a religious faith with specific dietary restriction.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill amends the education law by adding a new section
915-a which requires a public school, in any city that has over one
million inhabitants, to offer food options, upon request, to any
students practicing a religious faith with specific dietary restriction.
Section 2 of the bill sets forth an effective date of one hundred and
twenty days after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the
addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rules or regulations necessary
for the implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized
to be made one or before such date.
JUSTIFICATION:
In city with ethnic diversity like New York City, the population of
residents and children who practice a religious faith with specific
dietary restrictions is rising. Because of their religious dietary
requirements, these students, who are attending public schools in New
York City, are restricted in what they can eat during lunch at school.
In certain cases, even though public schools already provide healthy and
nutritious food options, students have to go without out eating and
throw away lunches that do not meet their religious food restrictions.
Offering students these types of food options, including halal, kosher,
and vegetarian food options, during lunch not only accommodates their
dietary restriction but also enhances students' awareness and respect
for diversity in cultures, religions, and ethnicities.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
04/12/17 referred to education 01/03/18 referred to education
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
One hundred and twenty days after it shall have become a law. Effective
immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rules or regu-
lations necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective
date is authorized to be made one or before such date.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1497
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 17, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. WEPRIN, CRUZ, VANEL, ROZIC, D. ROSENTHAL, EPSTEIN
-- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring public
schools in any city with a population over one million to offer food
options during lunch
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 915-a
2 to read as follows:
3 § 915-a. Food options. In any city having over one million inhabit-
4 ants, any public school that has students practicing a religious faith
5 with specific dietary restrictions shall offer food options which meet
6 such dietary restrictions upon the students' request.
7 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
8 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
9 ment and/or repeal of any rules or regulations necessary for the imple-
10 mentation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made on
11 or before such date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01460-01-3
