Governor Signs Food Service Legislation

On June 17, Governor Charlie Crist signed legislation that will expand the School Breakfast Program to middle and high schools beginning the 2010 school year.
HB 623, School Food Service Programs, sponsored by Rep. Will Kendrick (R-Carrabelle), was passed during the 2008 Legislative Session. The bill met with opposition early on largely due to the varied methodologies and forms used by school districts to report revenues and expenditures.
Many groups, including the National Got Breakfast Foundation, the Florida Department of Education, the Florida School Nutrition Association, Inc., the House Education Committee on K-12, and the Schools and Learning Council worked to determine numbers that were more consistent with actual costs versus reimbursements.
These same groups were instrumental in the formulation and gathering of data and facts that ultimately led to the filing of HB 623. "This bill will be a huge step forward in giving students an additional advantage in supporting their physical and educational needs," said Kendrick
The program will make breakfast available to all students and will include breakfast meals at an alternative site location. Also, a breakfast meal will be available to any student who arrives on a school bus less than 15 minutes before the first bell rings and then be allowed 15 minutes to eat.
School districts will set prices that, when combined with federal reimbursements, are sufficient to defray costs of the school breakfast program.
School nutrition workers throughout District 10 visited with Rep. Kendrick during Session and were supportive of the legislation. Studies have shown