A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to require public schools to offer a plant‑based meal option at each school meal.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 115C‑263(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of Part 2 of this Article, including those under G.S. 115C‑264.6, and may adopt further rules regulating the provision of school nutrition services that impose additional restrictions that are not inconsistent with the federal guidelines."
SECTION 2.  Article 17 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 115C‑264.6.  Plant‑based options required.
School food authorities shall offer at least one plant‑based meal entree option at every breakfast and lunch served. For the purposes of this section, a "plant‑based meal" is a meal that is free of all animal products, including meat, poultry, fish, dairy, and eggs. The plant‑based meals must also meet the nutritional guidelines issued by the Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture."
SECTION 3.  No later than August 15, 2023, the State Board of Education shall publish guidance and recommendations for the local boards of education as to how to best implement the provisions of G.S. 115C‑264.6, as enacted by this act.
SECTION 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2023‑2024 school year.