A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to establish a study committee to study north carolina's participation in the national school lunch program.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  Establishment. – There is established a Committee to Study North Carolina's Participation in the National School Lunch Program (Committee).
SECTION 1.(b)  Membership. – The Committee shall be composed of 12 members as follows:
(1)	Six members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate; the persons appointed may be members of the Senate or public members.
(2)	Six members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; the persons appointed may be members of the House of Representatives or public members.
The Committee shall have two cochairs, one designated by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and one designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives from among their appointees. The Committee shall meet upon the call of the cochairs. Vacancies shall be filled by the appointing authority. A quorum of the Committee shall be a majority of the members.
SECTION 1.(c)  Duties. – The Committee shall study the State's participation in the federal National School Lunch Program and any flexibility on the State level to address the sustainable, continued operation of a child nutrition program for students in the public schools. In doing so, the Committee shall consider at least all of the following:
(1)	Nutrition standards required by the State that exceed federal requirements.
(2)	Current guidelines on indirect cost assessment at the local school administrative unit level and a potential requirement for fiscal solvency before allowing the assessment of indirect costs.
(3)	The development of a pilot program reflecting changes in federal regulation of the National School Lunch Program to assess cost and implementation of new nutrition guidelines.
(4)	Funding options to promote cost-savings and reduce expenses in the delivery of child nutrition programs, including use of the North Carolina Child Nutrition Procurement Alliance.
(5)	The provision of State funding beyond what is required as a match to federal funds under the National School Lunch Program.
SECTION 1.(d)  Compensation; Administration. – Members of the Committee shall receive subsistence and travel allowances at the rates set forth in G.S. 120‑3.1, 138‑5, or 138‑6, as appropriate. With the prior approval of the Legislative Services Task Force, the Legislative Services Officer shall assign professional and clerical staff to assist in the work of the Committee. With the prior approval of the Legislative Services Commission, the Committee may hold its meetings in the State Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building. The Committee may also meet at various locations around the State in order to promote greater public participation in its deliberations. The Committee, while in the discharge of its official duties, may exercise all the powers provided under the provisions of G.S. 120‑19 and G.S. 120‑19.1 through G.S. 120‑19.4, including the power to request all officers, agents, agencies, and departments of the State to provide any information, data, or documents within their possession, ascertainable from their records, or otherwise available to them and the power to subpoena witnesses.
SECTION 1.(e)  Report. – The Committee shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any recommendations for action by the General Assembly, to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on or before March 15, 2014. The Committee shall terminate upon the filing of the report.
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.