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S 2167

Creates the hospital and multiple dwelling energy loan fund

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Leroy Comrie

Public schools in NJ must meet updated USDA nutrition standards for reimbursable meals and competitive foods, including limits on added sugars and sodium, starting 2025–26.

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Bill Summary · S 2167

Summary — S.2167 (P.L.2025, c.104)

Title: Creates the hospital and multiple dwelling energy loan fund — (note: bill text and enacted law actually concern school lunch and breakfast nutrition standards)

Note: Although the docket title above references an energy loan fund, the enacted and reported text of S.2167 (P.L.2025, c.104) concerns school meal nutrition standards. This summary covers the enacted school-nutrition bill.

Purpose / Intent

To codify in New Jersey law that all public schools and nonpublic schools participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the federal School Breakfast Program (SBP) must comply with current U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrition standards for reimbursable meals and for competitive foods sold in schools — including applicable updates adopted by USDA and any future, more stringent federal standards. The goal is to maintain strong school meal nutrition rules in order to help reduce child and adolescent obesity and related chronic disease risk.

Key provisions

  • Requires public schools and nonpublic schools participating in NSLP/SBP to comply with USDA nutrition standards established in 7 C.F.R. Parts 210, 215, 220, 225, and 226 (including the USDA final rule “Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans” published April 25, 2024).
  • Applies these standards to:
    • All reimbursable meals served under NSLP and SBP.
    • Competitive foods sold on school campus during the school day (defined as all food and beverage items sold at school other than USDA school meal program meals).
  • Incorporates specific federal requirements described in the bill findings, including:
    • Grain requirement: 80% of weekly grains must be whole grain-rich.
    • Sodium phase-in: beginning July 1, 2027, lunch sodium content reduced by 15% and breakfast by 10%.
    • Added-sugar limits: product-based limits for cereals, yogurt, and flavored milk beginning 2025–26 (flavored milk ≤10 g added sugars per 8 fl oz); beginning 2027–28 added sugars must be <10% of weekly calories for lunch and breakfast programs.
  • States schools must also comply with any more stringent USDA nutrition standards adopted in the future.

Who is affected

  • Public school districts and school food authorities in New Jersey.
  • Nonpublic schools participating in NSLP/SBP.
  • Students who receive school meals and families.
  • School food vendors, food-service contractors, and local procurement/purchasing.
  • New Jersey Department of Education and other agencies that oversee school meal compliance.

Timeline / Effective dates

  • The act takes effect immediately upon enactment and first applies to the 2025–2026 school year.
  • Several federal provisions referenced in the law have their own federal implementation dates (e.g., some product limits effective 2025–26; sodium phase-in effective July 1, 2027; added-sugar caloric limit phased in by 2027–28).

Fiscal / Administrative notes

  • Committee statement: bill was not certified as requiring a fiscal note.
  • Implementation may impose operational or procurement adjustments on school food programs (menu planning, purchasing, product reformulation) and potential training or administrative tracking for compliance.

Legislative status

  • Reported favorably with amendments by Senate Education and Senate Budget & Appropriations Committees.
  • Passed both houses (Senate and Assembly) and approved (signed into law) July 22, 2025 as P.L.2025, c.104.

References cited in the bill

  • USDA rule: “Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans” (Federal Register, Apr. 25, 2024).
  • Federal Register citations referenced: Vol. 77, No. 17 (Jan. 26, 2012); Vol. 81, No. 146 (Jul. 26, 2016); Vol. 89, No. 80 (Apr. 25, 2024).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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