1. (1) As used in this section:

   1. (a) "Fund" means the School Meals Debt Relief Fund created in Section 59-10-1324.
   2. (b) "School meals debt" means outstanding unpaid balances for school meals provided to students.

2. (2) The state board shall:

   1. (a) collect school meals debt data from LEAs annually by June 30;

   2. (b) require each LEA to report:

      1. (i) total outstanding school meals debt;
      2. (ii) number of students with outstanding school meals debt;
      3. (iii) verification of debt collection efforts; and
      4. (iv) any other information deemed necessary by the state board;
   3. (c) verify the accuracy of reported data;
   4. (d) calculate each LEA's proportion of total statewide school meals debt; and
   5. (e) maintain school meals debt information.

3. (3) Upon receiving funds from the State Tax Commission pursuant to Section 59-10-1324, the state board shall:

   1. (a) distribute funds to each qualifying LEA based on the LEA's proportion of total statewide school meals debt as calculated under Subsection (2);
   2. (b) complete all distributions by September 1 of each year; and
   3. (c) provide a report of distributions to the commission within 30 days of completion.

4. (4)

   1. (a) An LEA shall:

      1. (i) submit required data to the state board by the established deadline;
      2. (ii) certify the accuracy of submitted data;
      3. (iii) maintain records supporting submitted data for a period of five years; and
      4. (iv) use distributed funds solely for the purpose of paying off school meals debt.

   2. (b) Any funds not applied to school meals debts within 60 days shall be:

      1. (i) returned to the state board; and
      2. (ii) redistributed to other qualifying LEAs according to the formula in Subsection (2).
5. (5) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the state board shall establish rules to administer this section.

Enacted by Chapter 178, 2026 General Session