Requires school districts take certain actions to increase participation in free or reduced priced meal programs; prohibits shaming students with school meal bills in arrears; prohibits certain district actions in collecting unpaid school meal fees.

This New Jersey bill (S 1755) requires school districts to take specific steps when a student’s meal bill is unpaid. It mandates that districts first try to directly enroll students in free/reduced-price meal programs before notifying parents about arrears, and must provide meal application materials with any notice. The bill prohibits shaming students (e.g., forcing them to wait in line or serve different meals) or collecting fees directly from students, and bans threatening child protective services reports over unpaid bills. It applies to all public school districts and students eligible for meal programs, ensuring they aren’t penalized for unpaid fees while protecting access to meals.