Section 18A:33-14.2 - Annual review of costs, school meal programs; rules, regulationsa. 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.Added by L. 2023, c. 336,s. 7, eff. 1/16/2024.