A bill prohibiting school lunch shaming practices was defeated last week.

 

Senators voted down Senate Bill 162, which prohibits school lunch shaming, on an 11-23 tally.

 

SB 162 was defeated in the Senate Education committee, but a smoke-out attempt was a success on the Senate floor before the bill was ultimately defeated.

 

Sen. Troy Heinert, the bill’s prime sponsor, amended the bill to say a district could not require a student to throw a meal after it had been served to them and could not publicly identify a student with a school lunch debt, but could still use other means to collect the lunch fee.

 

“What it says is a child is served (and) we are not going to take that tray away,” Sen. Heinert said during debate on the Senate floor. “We’re just not going to take food away from our students when it’s already been served.”

 

Opposition of the bill focused on it potentially impeding on local control.

 

“Do you want a state law to get involved with the school programs?” Sen. Jim Bolin asked. There’s nothing more local than your school lunch program.”

 

ASBSD supported the bill and will continue to collaborate with school nutrition and lunch association representatives on the matter to attempt to find a resolution.

 

For updates from legislative session, check the ASBSD Blog, Bill Tracker page, Twitter feed and Facebook page.