A5736

Requires school districts to provide a 30-minute lunch period for students.

Requires school districts to provide a 30-minute lunch period for students on each full school day, except for those enrolled in a half-day program. Prohibits districts from requiring students to attend more than five hours of instructional time without a lunch period. The bill mandates that the lunch period not be combined with the daily recess period. The legislation is based on findings that shorter lunch periods are linked to poorer eating habits and lower odds of consuming fruits and vegetables.