Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Maintaining Essential Access to Lunch for Students Act” or the “MEALS Act”.
Maintaining Essential Access to Lunch for Students Act
A BILL
To allow the Secretary of Agriculture to grant certain waivers under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to address school closures due to COVID–19, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Waiver exception for school closures due to COVID–19
In general— The requirements under section 12(l)(1)(A)(iii) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1760(l)(1)(A)(iii)) shall not apply to a qualified COVID–19 waiver.
Allowable increase in Federal costs— Notwithstanding paragraph (4) of section 12(l) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1760(l)), the Secretary of Agriculture may grant a qualified COVID–19 waiver that increases Federal costs.
Termination after periodic review— The requirements under section 12(l)(5) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1760(l)(5)) shall not apply to a qualified COVID–19 waiver.
Qualified COVID–19 waiver— In this section, the term qualified COVID–19 waiver means a waiver—
requested by a State (as defined in section 12(d)(8) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1760(d)(8))) or eligible service provider under section 12(l) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1760(l)); and
to waive any requirement under such Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.), or any regulation issued under either such Act, for purposes of providing meals and meal supplements under such Acts during a school closure due to COVID–19.