Sometimes students with cannot eat food served in school meals due to certain dietary rules associated with their religion. A Democratic-backed bill would provide funds to allow schools to offer halal and kosher foods to students in Ohio.
House Bill 562, joint sponsored by Rep. Beryl Brown Piccolantonio (D-Gahanna), would set up a pilot program in middle and high schools as well as public universities. It would allow schools to get funds to ensure students who are Jewish and Muslim have meals that meet their dietary rules.
“Kids learn best when they are fed, and we have a lot of kids with certain dietary needs," Brown Piccolantonio said in an interview.
Brown Piccolantonio said the $300,000 grant for the program would come from the department of agriculture. And she said this bill is not unique to Ohio.
“Illinois is the first state that is actually mandating the availability of halal and kosher meals,” Brown Piccolantonio said. “But there are lots of other states that are having conversations about how to best to accommodate different dietary needs that students have.”
Brown Piccolantonio said the bill does not currently provide for other meal preferences, including those for children with various ethical or medical needs. But she said that could change as the bill goes through the legislative process.
The bill has seven Democratic co-sponsors but no Republican ones. It was introduced in October and has had one committee hearing so far.
