An Act To Further Reduce Student Hunger
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1353
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: ALFOND, BECK, GOODALL, HASKELL, JACKSON, MILLETT, TUTTLE, CHIPMAN, DAUGHTRY
Amends: 20-A MRSA §6602

Legislative Document 
No. 1353 
S.P. 472 
In Senate, April 9, 2013 
An Act To Further Reduce Student Hunger 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
DAREK M. GRANT 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by President ALFOND of Cumberland. 
Cosponsored by Representative BECK of Waterville and 
Senators: GOODALL of Sagadahoc, HASKELL of Cumberland, JACKSON of Aroostook, 
MILLETT of Cumberland, TUTTLE of York, Representatives: CHIPMAN of Portland, 
DAUGHTRY of Brunswick, MacDONALD of Boothbay. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §6602, sub-§1, ¶C, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 379, §4, is 
amended to read: 
C.  A school administrative unit may shall participate in the federal summer food 
service program for children established in 42 United States Code, Section 1761 as 
required under this paragraph.  The commissioner shall assist school administrative 
units subject to the requirements of this paragraph in developing a plan to participate 
in the federal summer food service program for children and in obtaining federal, 
state and private funds to pay for this program.  Beginning with the 2011-2012 
2013-2014 school year, a school administrative unit with at least one public school in 
which the percentage at least 50% of students who qualify qualified for a free or 
reduced-price lunch is determined to be equal to or greater than the minimum 
percentage established for eligibility under the National School Lunch Program 
described in paragraph A may during the preceding school year shall participate in 
the federal summer food service program for children in accordance with 42 United 
States Code, Section 1761 during the following summer vacation, subject to the  
following phase-in schedule: provisions of this paragraph. 
(1)  For the summer following the 2011-2012 school year, a school 
administrative unit with at least one public school in which at least 75% of 
students qualified for a free or reduced-price lunch in the 2011-2012 school year 
may participate in the federal summer food service program; 
(2)  For the summer following the 2012-2013 school year, a school 
administrative unit with at least one public school in which at least 65% of 
students qualified for a free or reduced-price lunch in the 2012-2013 school year 
may participate in the federal summer food service program; and 
(3)  For the summer following the 2013-2014 school year and each subsequent 
school year, a school administrative unit with at least one public school in which 
at least 50% of students qualified for a free or reduced-price lunch in that school 
year may participate in the federal summer food service program. 
A school administrative unit with a public school in which at least 50% of students 
qualified for a free or reduced-price lunch during the preceding school year shall 
operate a federal summer food service program in the area served by that public 
school during the following summer vacation if that public school operates a summer 
educational or recreational program.  The school administrative unit is required to 
operate the federal summer food service program only on days that the public school 
operates the summer educational or recreational program.  The school administrative 
unit may collaborate with a service institution to operate the federal summer food 
service program. 
A school administrative unit with a public school in which at least 50% of students 
qualified for a free or reduced-price lunch during the preceding school year that does 
not operate a summer educational or recreational program shall collaborate with a 
service institution to operate a federal summer food service program if there is a 
service institution that provides food service to children in the summer in the area 
served by the public school. 
Notwithstanding this paragraph, a school administrative unit that is required to 
operate a federal summer food service program may choose not to operate such a 
program if it determines by a vote of the governing body of the school administrative 
unit after notice and a public hearing that operating such a program would be 
financially or logistically impracticable.  If a school administrative unit chooses not 
to operate a federal summer food service program, it shall notify parents of children 
in the school administrative unit of its decision and the reasons for its decision. 
For purposes of this paragraph, "service institution" means a public or private 
nonprofit school, a municipal or county government, a public or private nonprofit 
higher education institution or a private nonprofit summer camp. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires a school administrative unit with a public school in which at least 
50% of students qualified for a free or reduced-price lunch during the preceding school 
year to operate a federal summer food service program in the area served by that public 
school during the following summer vacation if that public school operates a summer 
educational or recreational program.  The school administrative unit may collaborate with 
a service institution such as a local government, higher education institution or summer 
camp to operate the summer food service program. 
It also requires such a school administrative unit that does not operate a summer 
educational or recreational program to collaborate with a service institution to operate a 
federal summer food service program if there is a service institution that provides food 
service to children in the summer in the area served by the public school. 
A school administrative unit required to operate a federal summer food service 
program may choose not to operate such a program if it determines by a vote of the 
governing body of the school administrative unit after notice and a public hearing that 
operating such a program would be financially or logistically impracticable.