New Jersey § 18a:33-14

§ 18a:33-14.

a. A school district or nonpublic school that participates in the National School

Lunch Program or the federal School Breakfast Program shall annually review the costs

being expended thereby, in association with the implementation and expansion of school

lunch and breakfast programs at schools in the district or at the nonpublic school,

as the case may be, and shall take appropriate steps to minimize or offset those program

costs, to the extent that such costs can be minimized or offset without compromising

the ability of the participating school district or nonpublic school to comply with

minimum nutritional standards and other program requirements established pursuant

to State or federal law. b. The Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of Education,

shall: (1) monitor, and engage in the inspection and oversight of, each school lunch program

and school breakfast program operating pursuant to this chapter, as necessary to ensure

that school meals being served to students in the State continue to satisfy minimum

nutritional standards, on an ongoing basis, as required by paragraph (2) of subsection

a. of section 1 of P.L.1974, c. 53 ( C.18A:33-4 ) and paragraph (1) of subsection a. of section 12 of P.L.2022, c. 104 ( C.18A:33-14a ); (2) develop and publicize best practices, protocols, and model plans to help school

districts effectively minimize and offset program costs, as required by this section,

without compromising the nutritional value of meals being served to students; and (3) work cooperatively with each participating school district and nonpublic school

in the State to: (a) review the costs being expended by the district, and by each

participating school, in association with the implementation and expansion of one

or more school meals programs therein; (b) identify various means and methods by which

program costs can be reduced, curtailed, eliminated, or offset without sacrificing

the ability of the participating school district or nonpublic school to operate its

school meals programs in compliance with minimum nutritional standards and other applicable

State and federal requirements; (c) provide recommendations to help participating

school districts and nonpublic schools timely and proactively address financial problems

that have reduced, or that have the potential to reduce, their ability to properly

or fully administer their school meals programs in compliance with minimum nutritional

standards, expanded eligibility requirements, and all other applicable State and federal

requirements; and (d) undertake, or recommend the undertaking of, other appropriate

actions as may be necessary to prevent the State's school meals programs from becoming

overly bloated with unnecessary expenses or otherwise becoming financially burdensome

to participating school districts and nonpublic schools. c. The Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of Education,

shall adopt, pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c. 410 ( C.52:14B-1 et seq. ), such rules and regulations as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this

section.