Florida Senate - 2020                                     SB 300
       
       
        
       By Senator Farmer
       
       
       
       
       
       34-00273-20                                            2020300__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to food pantries in public schools;
    3         creating s. 1006.064, F.S.; authorizing school
    4         districts to adopt a policy to allow schools to create
    5         food pantry programs in collaboration with nonprofit
    6         organizations; authorizing school districts to provide
    7         food from the pantry at no cost to students under
    8         specified circumstances; providing specifications for
    9         food donated to the pantry; authorizing school
   10         employees to prepare and distribute donated food;
   11         authorizing the State Board of Education to adopt
   12         rules; providing an effective date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Section 1006.064, Florida Statutes, is created
   17  to read:
   18         1006.064 School food pantries.—
   19         (1)(a) Each school district may adopt a policy to allow any
   20  school within its district to create a food pantry program in
   21  collaboration with a nonprofit organization designated by the
   22  school. Donations to the pantry program must be made through a
   23  representative of the nonprofit organization who is directly
   24  affiliated with the school, which may include any instructional
   25  personnel as defined in s. 1012.01, or a parent of a student
   26  enrolled in the school. The nonprofit organization shall manage
   27  the pantry program on behalf of the school.
   28         (b) Through a pantry program, a school district may provide
   29  donated food at no cost to a student for breakfast, lunch, or
   30  dinner meals or provide a snack if the student is unable to
   31  purchase breakfast, lunch, or dinner meals or a snack.
   32         (2)(a) Food donated to a pantry program must be received,
   33  stored, and distributed on school grounds.
   34         (b) Food donated by the school to the pantry program may
   35  include:
   36         1. Surplus food prepared for breakfast, lunch, or dinner
   37  meals or a snack to be served at the school cafeteria, subject
   38  to any applicable local, state, and federal requirements; and
   39         2. Food donated to the school through a food drive or
   40  similar event.
   41         (c) Food donated under this section may only include:
   42         1. Packaged or unpackaged, unserved food;
   43         2. Packaged, served food if the packaging is in good
   44  condition;
   45         3. Whole, uncut produce;
   46         4. Wrapped, raw produce; or
   47         5. Unpeeled fruit required to be peeled before consumption.
   48         (3) Food donated to a pantry program under this section may
   49  be distributed to students at the school at any time. A school
   50  employee may prepare and distribute food as a volunteer for the
   51  nonprofit organization.
   52         (4) The State Board of Education may adopt rules as
   53  necessary to implement this section.
   54         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2020.