1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education finance; authorizing free school milk during the lunch meal 
1.3 	for students who bring a lunch from home on that day; appropriating money;
1.4 	amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 124D.118; Laws 2023, chapter 55, 
1.5 	article 9, section 18, subdivision 4.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 124D.118, is amended to read:
1.8 	124D.118 SCHOOL MILK PROGRAM.
1.9 		Subdivision 1.Legislative findings. (a) The legislature finds that for best health and 
1.10 	well-being, school children in the state should receive at least one serving of milk each day.
1.11 	(b) The kindergarten school milk program established in this section is to provide districts
1.12 	provides schools in the state with added resources so that all kindergarten students in public 
1.13 	and nonpublic schools may have access to wholesome milk on a daily basis.
1.14 	(c) The school lunch milk program provides schools with 
1.15 	resources so that students in public and nonpublic schools may have access to wholesome 
1.16 	milk on any day that the student chooses to bring a lunch from home and does not otherwise 
1.17 	participate in the school lunch program during that day.
1.18 		Subd. 2.Establishment Kindergarten milk program; school participation. Each district in the state is encouraged 
1.19 	to participate in the state-supported school milk program for kindergartners. Participating 
1.20 	districts must provide one serving of milk on each school day to each kindergarten student 
1.21 	attending a public or nonpublic school in the district. No student is required to accept the 
1.22 	milk that is provided by the district. The program must be promoted and operated under the 
1.23 	direction of the commissioner or the commissioner's designee.
2.1 		Subd. 3.Program guidelines; duties of the commissioner. (a) The commissioner shall:
2.2 	(1) encourage all districts to participate in the school milk program for kindergartners;
2.3 	(2) prepare program guidelines, not subject to chapter 14 until July 1, 1998, which will 
2.4 	effectively and efficiently distribute appropriated and donated money to participating 
2.5 	districts; and
2.6 	(3) seek donations and matching funds from appropriate private and public sources.
2.7 	(b) Program guidelines may provide for disbursement to districts through a mechanism 
2.8 	of prepayments or by reimbursement for approved program expenses.
(c) The commissioner may establish program guidelines for school lunch milk served in place of a school lunch by a participant in the national school lunch program under section 124D.111.2.9 		Subd. 4.Reimbursement. (a) In accordance with program guidelines, the commissioner 
2.10 	shall reimburse each participating public or nonpublic school 20 cents for each half-pint of 
2.11 	milk that is served to kindergarten students and is not part of a school lunch or breakfast 
2.12 	reimbursed under section 124D.111 or 124D.1158.
2.13 	(b) The commissioner shall reimburse each public or nonpublic school participating in 
2.14 	the free meals program for each half-pint of milk served to a student who brings a 
2.15 	meal from home on that day and forgoes a school lunch provided at no cost on that day. The reimbursement 
2.16 	rate for each half-pint equals the greater of 50 cents or the special school milk rate established 
2.17 	by the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services division for 
2.18 	that school year.

2.19 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for fiscal year 2025 and later.

2.20 	Sec. 2. Laws 2023, chapter 55, article 9, section 18, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
2.21 		Subd. 4.Kindergarten School milk. For kindergarten milk and school lunch milk aid 
2.22 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.118:

2.23		$
	659,000
	.....
	2024
	
2.252.24
		$
	659,000
.......
	.....
	2025