1.
a.Whenever a local board of education receives a written directive, from either the New Jersey Department of Health or the health officer of the jurisdiction, instituting a public health-related school closure due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the district having jurisdiction over the closed school shall implement and operate an emergency school meals distribution program during the period of the school closure. An emergency school meals distribution program implemented pursuant to this section shall provide for subsidized school meals to be made available, at meal distribution sites designated pursuant to subsection b. of this section, to all students enrolled in the district who are either categorically eligible or income-eligible therefor.
b.In order to facilitate the emergency distrib
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1. a. Whenever a local board of education receives a written directive, from either the New Jersey Department of Health or the health officer of the jurisdiction, instituting a public health-related school closure due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the district having jurisdiction over the closed school shall implement and operate an emergency school meals distribution program during the period of the school closure. An emergency school meals distribution program implemented pursuant to this section shall provide for subsidized school meals to be made available, at meal distribution sites designated pursuant to subsection b. of this section, to all students enrolled in the district who are either categorically eligible or income-eligible therefor. b. In order to facilitate the emergency distribution of subsidized school meals in the event of an emergency public school closure, as described in subsection a. of this section, each school district shall identify one or more school meal distribution sites that are walkable and easily accessible to students in the district. The school district shall collaborate with county and municipal government officials in identifying appropriate distribution sites including, but not limited to: faith-based locations; community centers, such as YMCAs; and locations in the school district where meals are made available through a summer meals program. In a school district that includes high density housing, the district shall make every effort to identify an emergency school meals distribution site in that housing area. c. A school district shall identify students enrolled in the district who are categorically eligible or income-eligible for subsidized school lunch, subsidized school breakfast, or both, and for whom an emergency school meal distribution site, identified pursuant to subsection b. of this section, is not within walking distance. In the case of these students, the school district shall distribute the subsidized school meals to the student's residence or to the student's bus stop along an established bus route, provided that, in the latter case, the student or the student's parent or guardian shall be present at the bus stop to accept the distribution. Distributions made pursuant to this subsection may include up to a total of three school days' worth of food per delivery. d. A school district may use school buses owned and operated by the district to distribute subsidized school meals pursuant to this section. In the case of a school district that does not own and operate its own buses, the district may enter into a contract authorizing another party to engage in the emergency distribution of subsidized school meals, on the district's behalf, pursuant to this section, and any such contract shall be exempt from the public bidding requirements established pursuant to the "Public School Contracts Law," N.J.S.18A:18A-1 et seq. e. A school district shall collaborate, as feasible, with other school districts and with local government units when implementing an emergency meals distribution program, pursuant to this section, in order to promote administrative and operational efficiencies and cost savings. f. School lunches and breakfasts that are made available through an emergency meals distribution program operating pursuant to this section shall be provided to eligible students, free of charge, in accordance with the provisions of subsection a. of section 1 of P.L.1974, c.53 (C.18A:33-4) and subsection a. of section 12 of P.L.2022, c.104 (C.18A:33-14a). L.2020, c.6, s.1; amended 2022, c.104, s.20; 2023, c.336, s.13.