| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to children's summer nutrition program; |
| 3 | providing a popular name; requiring each school district |
| 4 | to develop a plan to sponsor at least one summer nutrition |
| 5 | program by a specified date; providing for criteria for |
| 6 | the summer nutrition program; providing that a school |
| 7 | board may choose to be exempt from operating a summer |
| 8 | nutrition program; providing procedures for the school |
| 9 | district to become exempt; directing the school board to |
| 10 | notify the Commissioner of Education of its decision; |
| 11 | requiring a school board to reconsider its decision each |
| 12 | year; authorizing a not-for-profit entity to sponsor the |
| 13 | summer nutrition program; providing that a superintendent |
| 14 | of schools may collaborate with specified agencies to |
| 15 | implement a summer food nutrition program; directing the |
| 16 | Department of Education to provide each school district |
| 17 | with a list of organizations intending to participate by a |
| 18 | specified date; providing an effective date. |
| 19 |
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| 20 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 21 |
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| 22 | Section 1. Children's summer nutrition program.-- |
| 23 | (1) This section may be referred to by the popular name |
| 24 | the "Ms. Willie Ann Glenn Act." |
| 25 | (2) By May 1, 2005, each school district shall develop a |
| 26 | plan to sponsor at least one summer nutrition program to operate |
| 27 | in the school district for at least 40 consecutive days during |
| 28 | the summer months. The summer nutrition program shall operate to |
| 29 | the extent possible within 5 miles of an elementary school at |
| 30 | which 50 percent or more of the students are eligible for free |
| 31 | or reduced-price school meals, unless the school board requests |
| 32 | an exemption. |
| 33 | (3)(a) If a school board intends to be exempt from the |
| 34 | requirement to operate a summer nutrition program, it must |
| 35 | include the issue on an agenda at a regular or special school |
| 36 | board meeting that is publicly noticed, provide residents an |
| 37 | opportunity to participate in the discussion, and vote on |
| 38 | whether to be exempt from this section. The school board shall |
| 39 | notify the Commissioner of Education within 10 days after it |
| 40 | decides to become exempt from this section. |
| 41 | (b) Each year the school board shall reconsider its |
| 42 | decision and shall vote on whether to continue the exemption |
| 43 | from sponsoring a summer nutrition program. The school board |
| 44 | shall notify the Commissioner of Education within 10 days after |
| 45 | each subsequent year's decision whether to continue the |
| 46 | exemption. |
| 47 | (c) If a school board elects to be exempt from sponsoring |
| 48 | a summer nutrition program under this section, the school board |
| 49 | may encourage not-for-profit entities to sponsor the program. If |
| 50 | a not-for-profit entity chooses to sponsor the summer nutrition |
| 51 | program but fails to perform with regard to the program, the |
| 52 | district school board, the district, and the Department of |
| 53 | Education are not required to continue the program and shall be |
| 54 | held harmless from any liability arising from the |
| 55 | discontinuation of the summer food program. |
| 56 | (4) The superintendent of schools may collaborate with |
| 57 | municipal and county governmental agencies and private, |
| 58 | nonprofit leaders in implementing the plan. Although schools |
| 59 | have proven to be the optimal site for a summer food program, |
| 60 | any nonprofit organization may serve as a site or sponsor. By |
| 61 | April 15 of each year, each participating school district shall |
| 62 | report to the department the district's summer food sites in |
| 63 | compliance with this section. |
| 64 | (5) The department shall provide to each school district |
| 65 | by February 15 of each year a list of local organizations that |
| 66 | have filed letters of intent to participate, so that a school |
| 67 | district can determine how many sites are needed to serve the |
| 68 | children and where to place each site. |
| 69 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2004. |